Materials
Balloon
Glitter, sequins, and confetti
Funnel
String
Contact paper or ordinary paper sprayed with adhesive
Noisemakers and musical instruments
Pin taped to a ruler or yardstick
Instructions
1. Using a funnel, help the children fill a balloon with glitter, sequins, and confetti.
2. Inflate the balloon and hang it by a string from the ceiling.
3. Place a sheet of contact or adhesive paper on the floor below the balloon, adhesive side facingup.
4. Have the children gather around the paper. Supply them with noisemakers and instruments.
5. Count down to the New Year. At zero, pop the balloon with a pin, releasing the glitter and othermaterials from the balloon in a sparkling display.
6. Encourage the children to welcome the New Year with cheers and noise-making while theywatch the sparkles fall from the air and settle on the paper in a colorful pattern.
7. Use the paper to decorate a bulletin board or cut it into shapes.More to doMath: Ahead of time, practice counting backward from 10 and moving the hands of the clocktoward midnight. Design a calendar for the coming year.Sand and water table: Provide the children with funnels and an assortment of plastic cups,bowls, and utensils.
