Thursday, December 31, 2026
New Year's Eve with kids, by age
Most little kids won't make it to midnight, and they don't need to. Give them their own countdown half an hour before lights out, keep lights out close to usual, and New Year's Day starts on time. The times for each age are below.
New Year's Eve bedtime by age
For kids who are usually up around 6:30. The countdown is half an hour before lights out, so midnight is theirs and the night still ends on time.
| Age | Dinner | Countdown | Lights out, Dec 31 | Lights out, Jan 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5:00 | 6:30 | 7:00 | 7:00 |
| 2 | 5:15 | 6:45 | 7:15 | 7:00 |
| 3 | 5:45 | 7:15 | 7:45 | 7:30 |
| 4 | 5:45 | 7:15 | 7:45 | 7:30 |
| 5 | 6:15 | 7:45 | 8:15 | 7:45 |
| 6 | 6:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 8:00 |
| 7 | 6:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 8:00 |
| 8 | 6:45 | 8:15 | 8:45 | 8:15 |
Up earlier or later than 6:30? Move every time by the same amount. The bedtime calculator gives their usual lights out for any wake-up time.
A 5 year old's New Year's Eve
Something they like. The snacks come later.
Hats, a playlist, sparkling juice in the good glasses. Let them pick one thing to do before the countdown.
Ten to one, out loud, noisemakers on zero. Then hugs and one more song.
Half an hour past their usual 7:45.
A midnight that comes early
- Watch somebody else's midnight. It's midnight in London at 7pm Eastern, 6pm Central, 5pm Mountain and 4pm Pacific. On the East Coast that's a real countdown, from a real city, before dinner is cleared. Out West, the ball drop in New York is at 9pm Pacific and 10pm Mountain, live on TV.
- Or call it midnight. For most little kids the countdown is the moment, not the clock. Do it at their time and tell them it's their New Year.
- At someone else's house. Bring their own blanket and one book, do the countdown with everyone, then put them down in the quietest room. Grown-up party noise covers less than you'd think; a white noise app on a phone helps.
- Make the countdown the end of the night, not the start of a second one. Hugs, one song, then straight to PJs. If the countdown leads to more play, it's a late night anyway.
How late is fine
- 1 year olds. Their usual time. They won't miss anything, and a normal night gets you a normal New Year's Day.
- 2 to 4. Fifteen minutes late, with the countdown before it.
- 5 to 8. Half an hour late is fine. If an older one really wants the real midnight, give them a quiet afternoon, keep the evening calm, and plan on a slow New Year's Day.
A late night rarely buys a later morning. Most kids wake at their usual time on January 1 whatever time they went down, just more tired.
New Year's Day
Open the blinds at their usual time, even if they went down late. Morning light keeps the body clock where it was.
Their usual time. One normal night and the holiday is behind them.
If they've drifted late over the break, pull bedtime back 15 minutes a night from Friday, and they'll be close by Sunday.
Handy to have
- Noisemakers and party hats For the countdown. The noise is the whole point at this age. Find one
- An ok-to-wake clock Set it for their usual wake-up time, so January 1 starts on time. Find one
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Usual lights out is the middle of the window on the age pages and the bedtime calculator, worked out from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's recommended sleep hours for each age. Every kid is a little different. If you're worried about how your child sleeps, ask their pediatrician.
On New Year's Eve, Nightlight turns this into a plan on your phone: dinner, then every step with a time on it, counted back from lights out. Every other night it does the same, back from your usual lights out.
Plan tonightFree, no account, and what you tap stays on your phone.
On an iPhone? Nightlight is on the App Store, with a nudge at every step of the evening.