New Year's Eve Idea: DIY Balloon Drop

New Year's Eve is a night famous for parties and heavy drinking. But if you're a parent, it is likely that your New Year's Eve consists of nudging kids to stay awake for the ball drop. New Year's Eve should absolutely be a fun time for them as well.  Instead of just filing them outside to bang pots and pans to welcome in the New Year, make this simple and fun activity that will delight and surprise them.

Materials:

·         1 rectangular plastic tablecloth

·         Ball of yarn

·         Painter's tape

·         Scissors

·         Hole punch

·         Balloons (we blew ours up with a balloon pump)

·         Confetti (optional)

Step 1: Cut your tablecloth in half, hole-punch along either side where you cut it, and weave the yarn between the holes to "sew" the tablecloth back together. Be sure to leave at least a yard of yarn on one side of the tablecloth so you can pull on it to release the balloons. (Think of it as a "zipper" to release the balloons.) Tape extra yarn to the ceiling with painters tape so no one accidentally pulls on it and makes the balloons drop early.

Step 2: Use painters tape to tape either side of your tablecloth to the ceiling. Leave some slack in the center of your tablecloth so it can hold a bunch of balloons.

Step 3: Blow up balloons (we used 70) and place them between the tablecloth and the ceiling. For added fun, throw some confetti up there with the balloons as well.

Step 4: When the time comes, pull the loose end of yarn along the seam of the tablecloth, and watch the balloons drop!

For more inspiring entertaining ideas, head to Evite Gatherings!