With champagne toasts and all-night parties, New Year's Eve has long been the domain of adults. But increasingly, parents are discovering that the best way to celebrate a new year is with the kids. Here are a few simple activities:

• Beat the clock with a backyard obstacle course. Create teams and do a "ten, nine, eight …" countdown at the starting line to keep with the theme. Be mindful of everyone's skill levels with these ideas:
  • Score twice with a basketball hoop.
  • Kick a soccer ball through a "goal" marked by two chairs.
  • Walk a makeshift balance beam made from a piece of lumber or a chalk line on the driveway.
  • Toss a plastic disc into a laundry basket from various distances.
  • Limbo under a broomstick.
• Make a time capsule from a shoebox or covered plastic bin. Have all the kids write down favorite memories or experiences from the past year and make predictions for the upcoming one. Fill the rest of the box with ticket stubs, photos and other mementos. Have them decorate the box and unwrap it next New Year's Eve.
• Have a family sleepover. Create a buffet with your family's favorite munchies from your neighborhood Publix, then let the kids stay up for a movie or New Year's Eve TV program. Toast the new year with sparkling grape juice; or combine pomegranate, orange or cherry juice with lemon-lime soda or ginger ale.
• Play a game of celebrity charades. Divide into two teams and have everyone write the name of someone who made headlines this year. Place the names into a hat or bowl and take turns pulling out a name. Act out scenes that made the person famous or mimic mannerisms. Award points for correct guesses and add excitement with time limits.