Looking for fun things to do with your family while waiting for the ball to drop? Make the most of the entire day and celebrate in style.  Follow our NYE guide to festive feasts, DIY party props and more!

DIY Noisemakers: Always being shhhh’d and hushed, New Year’s Eve is a night when kids can actually be loud without being sent to time-out! Instead of banging on pots and pans, head to the local craft store and get all the necessary supplies to make unique noisemakers for the whole family.

Backyard Bonfire: What’s better than huddling up around a toasty fire with your loved ones as the New Year begins? Pretty much nothing.  Head outside for some quality family time before heading in to watch the ball drop. And if you feel compelled to sing “Kumbaya,” we won’t judge (but your kids might).

Prepare a Festive Feast: Spending time in the kitchen with your little ones is where long-lasting memories are made. Write up a fun and creative menu with the kids and whip up a fancy feast fit for a king! Having a party? Try some of these delectable finger food recipes too!

DIY Balloon Drop: Truth – give a kid a balloon and he/she will be happy for hours! Celebrate at the stroke of midnight with a DIY Balloon Drop.  It’s a simple and easy-to-clean-up DIY project that’s fun for the whole family.

Family-Friendly New Year’s Resolutions List: Encourage your kids to build a resolutions list that you can help them achieve throughout the year.  You can even create one for the whole family and post it on the fridge as a daily reminder!

Set up a Photo Booth + DIY Photo Props:  Capture the silliness and shenanigans of your family’s NYE fun with a homemade photo booth and DIY photo props.  Click on the photo booth tutorial photo below for an easy step-by-step guide.

Make it a Block Party: Get the whole neighborhood involved in some indoor (or outdoor) fun throughout the day.  Set up shop on front lawns and gather for food, drinks, sport and good cheer, or cozy up around a fireplace with BYOC – Bring Your Own Cocoa. Marshmallows optional.

Fashion Show: Kid’s love the chance to dress up in their parent’s clothes or mix-match with their own to create whacky outfits.  Make it a night to remember by turning it into a game! The winner with the most outlandish getup will be crowned “Best Dressed” of the evening and can lead the rest in a catwalk finale before the ball drops at midnight.

Dance Party: Crank your family’s favorite tunes from 2014 and dance like there’s no tomorrow! Be sure to give everyone the chance to play their faves – because “Let it Go” on repeat is your kid’s version of fun, not yours.

The post 9 Ways for Your Family to Ring in the New Year appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Ringing in the new year on a budget? The high price of New Year’s Eve hotel accommodations doesn’t have to keep you from celebrating in big-city style. Even the most sought-after New Year’s Eve hotspots have nearby alternatives that give travelers access to big-city countdowns without the big-city price tags.

“Surveys have shown that two-thirds of travelers will choose a destination first, then search for ways to make their plans and accommodations fit into their travel budgets,” says Jeanenne Tornatore, senior editor for the travel booking website Orbitz.com. “A great way to do that is by considering hotel accommodations in the suburbs just outside the city you’re looking to visit. For New Year’s Eve, travelers will see incredible savings and still have easy access to the spectacular big-city celebrations.”

For example, for a new year south of the border, travelers can save up to 42 percent by staying in Cozumel instead of the crowded Cancun strip. Families interested in visiting Orlando, Fla., for the holiday might prefer to say in nearby Kissimmee and save more than 20 percent. Here are a few other top New Year’s destinations and their money-saving alternatives:

Las Vegas strip/off-strip: It’s easy to see why Las Vegas is the nation’s top destination for New Year’s Eve with its world-class celebrations and ultimate parties. But, not to worry, staying at hotels off-the-strip means a 31 percent hotel savings, without missing out on all the New Year’s party action. Travelers will still have convenient access to the New Year’s fireworks and live music on the strip and at the Fremont Experience. Whether you’re ready to let loose and party or looking for a classic New Year’s celebration, Las Vegas has it.

New York City/Newark, N.J.: The Times Square ball drop is the most iconic New Year’s celebration of all and this year it’s easier than ever to afford a trip to the Big Apple by staying in one of the many New York City suburbs. If you book your New Year’s Eve hotel in Newark, N.J., a quick train ride will drop you in the center of all the action, and you will have one more reason to celebrate – 68 percent average savings.

New Orleans’ French Quarter/Garden District: When it comes to celebrating New Year’s Eve in grand style, it’s hard to top New Orleans. And, best of all, much of it is free. Jackson Square is ground zero for the evening’s fun and excitement, complete with live entertainment. Just before midnight, the crowd turns its attention to the roof of Jax Brewery, waiting for an 8-foot-tall fleur-de-lis to drop and ring in 2014. Want to join in on the fun without the big price tag? Savings of 33 percent can be found by staying in the mansion-lined Garden District, just a short streetcar or cab ride from the action.

*BPT

The post All the New Year’s fun on half the budget appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.