3 Ways To Ring In The New Year As A Foster Family

There are many different ways to find the hidden joy as a foster family, including creating new holiday traditions together. This year, plan a family-friendly celebration at home with these inspirational ideas for ringing in the New Year as a foster family.

Plan A Fun-Sized Feast

Grown-up New Year’s Eve parties are famous for trays of amazing appetizers. This year, give this fancy tradition a fun twist by serving up a bite-sized feast fit for a kid. Family-friendly finger foods can include pepperoni pizza rolls, mac and cheese bites, quesadillas, loaded potato skins, pigs in a blanket, and mozzarella sticks, or try one of these kid-approved dips. And don’t forget dessert! There are many benefits to cooking with your foster kids, so give them an apron and invite them help out in the kitchen with age-appropriate tasks.

Make The Countdown Fun

For younger children, you may want to consider celebrating “Noon-Year’s Eve” with a fun countdown in the middle of the day. Before the big event, decorate the house with streamers, don some festive party hats, and get creative by crafting DIY noise makers with safe objects found around the house. Then, turn up the tunes and have a dance party in the living room. If older children and teenagers want to stay up late to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve, add in some glow sticks and a funny photo booth with silly props.

Activities For Family Bonding

If the idea of pajamas, popcorn and snuggling up by the TV sounds like a great way to ring in the New Year, plan a movie marathon for the last day in December. Since staying home on New Year’s Eve means not having to get all dressed up in fancy clothes, the only appropriate attire for this party is some comfy PJs and a pair of slippers. Rudolph’s Shiny New Year is a favorite for all ages, or check out these suggestions on Common Sense Media. A game night also promotes family bonding, whether it’s an exciting Mario Kart tournament or a hilarious round of Throw, Throw Burrito.

There’s no better gift you can give to a child or teenager than a loving family and a stable home in the upcoming year. For more information on how to become a foster parent in the state of Illinois, contact Camelot Care Centers today.

Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency.