A long time ago, husband and wife would go out and enjoy the evening on New Year’s Eve. Now days with children in the home, that is less likely to happen. What to do with a family of 4 on New Year’s Eve? This is what many parents ask. How do these kids stay engaged and entertained. Especially if you do not want them to be on device all day and evening. Or better yet, you have a child that a doesn’t enjoy being on a device. Yes, this is possible-a child that doesn’t want to spent the last day of the year on a device playing games. So this family of 4 on New Year’s Eve had a paint night.
How about you?
Do you have a child like this in your home? Because I have one in my home, I decided that a family paint night would work very well on New Year’s Eve. It would occupy the children. But also bring the family together.
Let’s get ready.
First you will need supplies:
- Table covering if you want to protect you table: washable cloth, disposable paper, or cloth
- Variety of paint brushes
- Acrylic paints
- Mixing trays
- Water containers
- Paper towels
- 8″X10″ Little canvases found at Walmart or Michael’s Crafts
Set up the creative space.
Have the child help arrange the supplies and the place settings. And make them feel important in the process if they are younger. Of course, give praise for not spilling the water. Ask them where everyone should sit and who they want to sit near. By doing these little things, the time is passed with enjoyment and learning. For instance, the child is learning responsibility to carry water well, how to organize a work space, and delegate who is doing what where.
Paint or Plan?
Kids love painting and all things artistic. Sometimes they just dive in. Then there are times when they need to step back and plan. For example, my son just has an idea all the time. Yet my daughter is a picky painter. So she started by drawing on her canvas with what she typically draws. Which includes houses, rainbows, flowers, trees, owls, and people.
Then she heard her brother saying what he was painting and what mommy was painting. Then she did not like her drawing. Now what do we do? In the end we erased. And she planned on a sheet of paper. Next we transferred her drawing to the canvas and used sharpie to see the new composition.
When it is set, then get to painting.
Be prepare to help the children. Yes, you are painting too, but keep in mind your children need you. They need your help with pouring paint, cleaning brushes, and fixing mistakes on their paintings. This a family night and meant to be fun for all. So set aside the notion that you may need to take a little extra time after they are asleep to complete your masterpiece.
Just let them paint. Play music. Have discussions. And share stories as you paint. In the end the event could become a yearly tradition.
Family Paint Night
The fish are representations of our family of 4 and a set of grandparents. The family outside the house represent us with daddy in the window. Since the children labeled their characters, mommy did the same thing with each animal in her painting. Of course, the dragon is mommy. The singing cat is daddy. Like his painting, the fish in mommy’s represents the son. Flying into the composition is the daughter. At some point, Daddy was little disappointed that he did not did not include us in his painting. But he is the head of the home and so his lighthouse represents so much more.
As a family you have such a short time to develop positive memories with the children. They really do grow fast. Instead of figuring out how to enjoy New Year’s Eve as a couple, we enjoyed it with our children. As a result, both children in our family of 4 devoted their paintings to our family. The family that paints together stays together.