New Year's Noisemakers

The whole family can take part in New Year's festivities by making these noisy party favors.
by: Christine Dvornik

New Year's Noisemakers

Noisemaker
Age: All ages
Time: An hour or more
Type of Activity: Arts and crafts

Whether your kids stay up 'til the ball drops, they can take part in the festivities by making these noisy party favors.

Materials Needed:

  • Empty soda can
  • Heavy cardboard paper
  • Dried seeds (sunflower seeds work best)
  • Colored paper
  • Tape
  • Glue
  • Stickers
  • Crayons
  • Markers

    What to do:

    1. Give your child some colored paper and a few art supplies and have her decorate a sheet or two. This will be the covering for the noise maker.

    2. After she's finished decorating, glue the decorated paper around the soda can.

    3. Let the glue dry. Fill the inside of the can with a handful of sunflower seeds. You won't need to put very many seeds in -- a little goes a long way, plus it will get too heavy!

    4. Trace a circle around the bottom of the can on the heavy cardboard paper. Cut the circle out and glue it to the top of the soda can to cover up the hole.

    Once the glue dries, your noise maker is ready for New Years Eve!

    Tambourine
    Whether your kids stay up 'til the ball drops, they can take part in the festivities by making these noisy party favors.

    Materials Needed:

  • Two aluminum pie plates
  • Small bells
  • Ribbons
  • Stickers
  • Paint
  • Knife or hole puncher
  • Ribbons (a variety of colors, cut into a dozen strands of equal length)

    What to Do:
    1. With the two pie plates nested together, punch four holes around the rim at equal intervals (12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock).

    2. Now your child can decorate the outside of each pie plate with stickers and/or paint.

    3. When the paint is dry, put the pie plates together with the painted sides facing out and the holes lined up.

    4. Thread one or two bells onto a strand of ribbon. Gather three more ribbons and thread all four strands through one of the holes in the pie plates, tying a knot at the end. Repeat for each of the remaining three holes.

    After you've attached all the ribbons and bells, your child can shake her new tambourine!

    Confetti Balloon
    Whether your kids stay up 'til the ball drops, they can take part in the festivities by making these noisy party favors.

    Materials Needed:

  • Paper confetti
  • Balloons

    What to do:
    1. Ask your child to pick out a few balloons. Stretch the opening as wide as you can without ripping it.

    2. While you're holding the balloon open, your child can fill it with colored confetti -- not too much or the balloon will be too heavy!

    3. Blow up the balloon and tie a knot at the end.

    4. When it's time to celebrate, have an adult pop the balloon with a pin and the confetti will come sprinkling down!