How is your family planning to ring in the new year? Staying up until midnight sounds like fun (especially when you are a child with an early bedtime), but staying up that late is hard on little ones. Fortunately, Netflix has a new set of New Year’s Eve countdowns that will let the younger members of the family celebrate at a more reasonable hour.
For the last few years, we would celebrate New Year’s Eve early by watching the east coast broadcasts of the Times Square ball drop. The 9 p.m. celebration was just late enough to make my son feel like he was staying up late, but still early enough to keep everyone’s sanity. Last year, we switched things up when Netflix released the King Julien New Year’s Eve Countdown. It is a cute little three minute countdown video that features characters from the Madagascar movies.
For 2016, Netflix has a whole new set of New Year’s Eve countdowns designed for preschoolers, tweens and everyone in between. The videos let parents choose when to say goodnight, and lets your children decide how how to celebrate with their favorite characters.
Your child can ring in the new year with countdowns featuring Oona and Baba of Puffin Rock, Care Bears & Cousins, Inspector Gadget, the Project Mc2 girls, King Julien, or Mr. Peabody & Sherman and all their DreamWorks Animation friends.
At first, I thought we were party poopers by turning in early. But according to a recent survey from Netflix, 9:00 pm has become the new midnight for parents in the U.S., with nearly half of parents (48%) saying they’d ring in the new year by 9 p.m.
So grab your party hats, noisemakers and 2016 glasses. Hit the play button on Netflix and then go to bed early. There is no better way to start the new year than with an early celebration followed by a full night of sleep.
#StreamTeam
Natalie says
This is awesome! Thanks Netflix!!
EspyV says
My kids love Kind Julien. I know what we’re watching tonight.
Alex says
We do the same thing with celebrating New Year’s at 9 pm. I really like the Netflix video idea.
Nina says
Would be awesome if Netflix could somehow do a live streaming of the ball dropping tonight.
Stephanie says
Netflix doesn’t have a live stream ball drop, but this article lists several places you can live stream it from.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/12/new_years_eve_2016_ball_drop_l_1.html
Marissa says
Well, done, Netflix! We watched the Madagascar countdown, and my daughter loved it. Thanks for having this. I really enjoyed sharing the New Year this way with my children (and there was no way they were staying up til midnight!)
Sarah says
Thank you thank you thank you!!! It’s 7:20 and my kid is in bed and happy and WOOHOO!
Stephanie says
I don’t even have kids, but I’m tempted to pull up one of these, watch it, and go to bed at 9pm myself :)
tired mommy says
NETFLIX I LOVE YOU! YOU DESERVE A NOBEL PRIZE
jacob hartley says
People like me in the Pacific Time Zone have been celebrating 9:00pm New Years Celebration since I have been born.