Ring in the new year with some fun family activities while RV camping! There are so many things to do both inside and outside your RV, you'll be sure to have a blast. Why not make some new family memories this year while RV traveling?
From local activities to playing games and spending time together, these ideas will make your New Year's celebration one to remember. You don't have to miss out on the fun just because you are on the road. Check out these fun family New Year's ideas!
Guest Post By The Adventure Detour
New Year's Versus Noon Year Parties
Before we dive into all the fun ways you can celebrate the New Year while traveling in your RV, let's talk about Noon Year. I first learned about this when my daughter was small. A Noon Year party is basically any New Year's Eve activity done early in the day. Instead of counting down until midnight, families with smaller kids that can't stay up that late often count down until noon.
Many businesses that offer kids activities have Noon Year parties for the littles. Common places to find Noon Year parties are libraries, children's museums, and community centers. Any activities you do as a family can also become Noon Year fun for younger kids. Or why not count down twice in one day for even more fun?
Campground Activities
Check with the RV campground you are staying at over the New Year holiday. Many campgrounds have holiday activities; if they don't, they may be able to recommend things going on around town. Common campground activities for New Year's include live music, a dance, New Year's dinner, or karaoke.
If your campground doesn't have any scheduled activities, why not invite your camping neighbors to a campfire or to a potluck? Many of your RV neighbors may also be looking to celebrate with new friends. Something we have enjoyed for a few of our New Year's in Florida is going for a campground swim. There is something pretty special about being from the Midwest and being able to swim on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.
Local New Years Celebrations
Check the community calendar in your area to see if there are any New Year's activities. Some communities offer fireworks or a parade. If there aren't any scheduled activities in your area, you could always make your own fun. Some great New Year's activities out and about include ice skating, bowling, or hiking. We love to spend New Year's Day enjoying nature. It's the perfect way to kick off the start of the next year.
Activity Ideas to Ring In The New Year
You can also hang out and have some fun at your campsite for New Year's. What a perfect time to sit around a warm fire and relax with friends or family! Maybe talk about the best parts of the year and your hopes for the coming year. Or even mix things up and cook your meal over the fire.
One tradition we have is to watch Rudolf's Shiny New Year in the afternoon on New Year's Eve. This old classic is a bit odd, but I think that adds to the appeal for us. Then we usually have some sort of fun holiday meal.
Any meal that is out of the ordinary for your family could be a special New Year's treat. Sometimes we have a dinner of fun appetizers. On other years we have had a fondue dinner with fondue dessert. We have also made our own personal pizzas which is usually a big hit with kids.
Any kind of food bar can also be an extra special New Year's meal. Some fun food bars are taco bars, baked potato bars, or soup and chili bars. It doesn't need to be anything fancy. Any meal that is out of the ordinary for your household can be a nice treat.
Resolutions
During dinner, it is fun for each member to come up with and write down some New Year's resolutions. Then keep those resolutions somewhere that you will be able to find them. Next New Year's, it will be fun to break out and read these resolutions to see if any came true. I bet some of them your family comes up with will be funny, especially when read next year!
New Year Countdown
After we have our special holiday dinner, then it is time for some family fun. Every year we like to do an activity for each hour until midnight. Some years we have had game night and played a different game each hour. We have done art and painting parties where each hour is a new craft or art project. One year we had a sensory night where we played with a winter sensory tote, play dough, made Insta Snow, and created different slimes on the hour. Most of the time, you can use things you already own for hourly activities.
The most fun of the hourly activities is actually the suspense of what's next and the surprise of each activity. Before the night begins, it helps prep all hourly activities. Wrap each activity and then write a time on it. Another option is to put each activity into a gift bag with the time written on it. I think the most fun version of the timed activities is to create balloons to pop for each hour. For the balloon version, write the activity on a small piece of paper and put it inside of an unblown balloon. Then blow up the balloon and write the time on the outside of the balloon. Have kids pop the balloon each hour to read what the activity will be.
Last year we played a different game each hour, and all games were wrapped with the time on the game. The first game was a new one to make it a little more exciting. We went old school and played Twister which was a huge hit. Then we unwrapped games we already owned each hour until midnight. Game nights are always a hit in our household.
New Year's Eve Ball Drop
It is fun to watch the ball drop on TV at midnight and then head outside to shoot silly strings or beat on pots and pans. Other ideas outside include sparklers or party poppers with confetti. Just be sure to check for any fire restrictions and clean up any mess left behind. Any of these countdown activities can also be enjoyed for a Noon Year party with younger children.
Ring in 2022 While RVing
Now you are loaded with fun ideas to make New Year's memories on the road with your family this year. This simple fun can happen in your RV or wherever you may be. Sometimes simple old fashioned fun really is the way to go. Enjoy this precious time with your family and hopefully some of these new traditions will become part of your yearly celebrations.
Looking for a new RV to hit the road in this holiday season? Check out the incredible selection at La Mesa. Give them a visit today!
Scott, his wife Van, and their 12-year-old daughter Sissy have traveled full-time in their RV for 7 years. They have worked and homeschooled on the road through 42 states so far. They blog about RVing tips, travel destinations, and the full-time RV lifestyle on their blog, TheAdventureDetour.com.They are also RV content creators @theadventuredetour on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. They love connecting with RVers so be sure to reach out to them and say hi.
