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Happy New Year

New Year’s Rice Bin

December 27, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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A sensory bin is one of the easiest ways to usher in a new theme, and this new year’s rice bin does just that. I have this gold and silver-laden bin waiting for my preschoolers to explore when they return from their Christmas break next week.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies In The Bin

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The following supplies are in the glitzy bin:

  • gold and silver wrapped foam mini presents
  • silver star-shaped dessert cups
  • tiny gold trophies
  • gold play coins
  • silver beads
  • gold clip tree decorations
  • gold spoon
  • silver bell ornament

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New Year’s Rice Bin

As with many of my sensory activities on the blog, a white bus tub is the bin of choice. It is large enough for two or three children to explore comfortably and doesn’t require an exorbitant amount of sensory base.

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White glutinous rice is the base for the bin, another one of my favorite sensory supplies.

Scooping and pouring rice using the tiny gold trophies and silver star-shaped dessert cups develops eye-hand coordination.

Little learners can gather and count the gold coins.

Gold clip tree decorations and silver beads (cut from a garland) add glitz to the bin.

Spoons are a basic accessory my preschoolers always want to be included in a sensory bin.

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The silver bell is not just a plain bell. It is shaped like an octopus. To see how it is made, view my blog post Octopus Christmas Craft. There is a free template to download should you decide to make an octopus-themed bell to help ring in the new year.

Happy New Year!

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More New Year’s Activities

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

New Year’s Countdown Activities

New Year’s Crafts

New Year’s Sensory Tray

New Year’s Art and Math Activities

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[Read more…] about New Year’s Rice Bin

Filed Under: crafts, Math, music, New Year's, preschool, sensory Tagged With: Happy New Year, musical instruments, New Year's crafts, New Year's Eve, rice bin, sensory bin

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

December 31, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

New Year's Eve sensory tray dinner invitation with metallic loose parts little learners will love to have a pretend party with.
New Year's Eve sensory tray dinner invitation with metallic loose parts little learners will love to have a pretend party with.

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This New Year’s Eve sensory tray is full of party vibes. It is an inviting loose parts tray to offer at a New Year’s Eve event, or on the first day of class in January. The dinner-themed play invitation is currently ready for my preschoolers to explore when they are back at school next week. I’m excited to see how they use it!

The featured tray is called a “tuff tray”, or “active world tray.” In our country (Canada) they are available to order online at Scholar’s Choice.

My active world tuff tray is a recent addition to my stock of early learning resources, and I love using it.

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Supplies To Collect

New Year's Eve sensory play tray with a party theme.

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To recreate this tray, pick a set of disposable paper New Year’s party plates. Use the colors in the plates to guide the color scheme for the loose parts in the active world tray. My plates are gold, silver, black and white, with metallic touches. I use gold and silver metallic accessories for the tray.

Loose parts to include:

  • round placemat
  • disposable cups and cutlery
  • gift boxes
  • serving bowls and spoons
  • tongs
  • star-shaped containers
  • strips of bead garland
  • buttons
  • play coins
  • small bells
  • large ornament bells
  • present ornaments
  • balls cut from garland
  • tiny trophies

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The New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

Gather loose parts that you have available. Arrange them as a dinner invitation.

New Year's Eve tuff tray filled with dinner-themed loose parts little learners will love to party with.

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Serving containers in a variety of sizes and shapes add appeal and provide options for manipulating loose parts.

Bells are a welcome addition to any sensory activity. There are large bell ornaments and small jingling bells in the tray, offering a musical component.

The featured gift boxes are clear and contain tiny trophies and ornaments. Little learners can explore them and change up the contents. Gold or silver gift boxes would work wonderfully too.

New Year's Eve sensory tray featuring dinnerware, gift boxes, and metallic loose parts.

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Space Kitchen Activity Tray

To extend the sensory experience, switch out the New Year’s dinner plates for tin pie plate ones. The activity tray will become a space-themed play invitation!

Cut metallic bead garland and necklaces make the perfect loose parts for an outer space spaghetti pretend play meal.

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Other active world tray ideas:

Fall Sensory Play

Spider Theme Activities

Christmas Village Tuff Tray

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New Year's Eve sensory tray dinner-themed loose parts little learners will love to have a pretend party with.

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More New Year’s Activities:

New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

New Year’s Countdown Activities

New Year’s Crafts

New Year’s Sensory Tray

New Year’s Art and Math Activities

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[Read more…] about New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

Filed Under: New Year's, party, preschool, pretend play, sensory Tagged With: Happy New Year, holiday, loose parts, New Year's Eve, party, sensory bin, sensory play, sensory tray

New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

December 30, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

An inviting New Year's all gold sensory bowl filled with shiny items little learners will love to explore.
An inviting New Year's all gold sensory bowl filled with shiny items little learners will love to explore.

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This New Year’s all gold sensory activity is filled with … you guessed it…all gold loose parts! It’s one I’ve been wanting to put together for a while and finally did. Whether the loose parts are organized in a bin or tray, this activity is one your little learners will love to take part in.

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Gold And New Year’s

Glittery, metallic gold is a popular color for New Year’s celebrations. And it usually plays a big part in Christmas festivities too.

Gold is considered a symbol of wealth. But in addition to monetary wealth, the rich color also represents a wealth of experience, knowledge, and love. And who doesn’t wish for all these things, especially at the beginning of a new year?

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Follow me on Pinterest for more New Year’s ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

New Year's all gold sensory bin loose parts tray for little learners to explore.

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Gather the following supplies in metallic gold:

  • tiny trophies
  • small present and drum decorations
  • play coins
  • assorted buttons
  • miniature ornaments
  • bows
  • jingle bells
  • strands cut from beaded necklaces
  • tongs
  • spoons
  • cups

It’s easy to find these items during the holiday season. And I’m sure you will be able to think of even more things to add.

New Year's all gold sensory activity loose parts tray.

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“All Gold” Sensory Bin

A large clear plastic salad bowl makes a good bin for this sensory setup. But a plastic square or rectangular container works fine too.

A rich New Year's all gold sensory activity featuring shiny metallic loose parts for little learners to explore.

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No base ingredient is needed for this eye-appealing activity. Just throw a mix of metallic gold loose parts in your container of choice. Then set it out on a table with golden cups, tongs, and spoons for your little learners to explore.

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All Gold Sensory Tray

If you only have a small supply of golden items, why not use a serving tray. Your little charges will be happy to dive in and investigate the shiny “treasures” in the tray.

A sparkling New Year's all gold sensory tray filled with metallic items for little learners to explore.

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New Year's metallic gold sensory bin loose parts tray.

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Aside from being associated with New Year’s events, gold is an alluring color all in itself. And this is my primary reason for putting together this glamourous play invitation.

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What would you add to this sensory activity? Share in a comment below.

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More New Year’s Activities

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

New Year’s Countdown Activities

New Year’s Crafts

New Year’s Sensory Tray

New Year’s Art and Math Activities

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[Read more…] about New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

Filed Under: New Year's, preschool, sensory Tagged With: Happy New Year, holiday, loose parts, New Year's Eve, sensory bin, sensory play, sensory tray

New Year’s Countdown Activities

December 30, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Art and math New Year's countdown activities. Printmaking with fringed toilet rolls, collage art, and number matching opportunities.
Art and math New Year's countdown activities. Printmaking with fringed toilet rolls, collage art, and number matching opportunities.

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These New Year’s countdown activities give practice in number recognition and counting down from 10 to 1. And how fun is it for early learners to print fireworks with fringed toilet paper rolls!

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Printmaking Fireworks

Supplies needed:

  • Happy New Year printable (downloadable below)
  • scissors
  • toilet paper rolls
  • magenta, yellow, and light blue tempera paint
  • small plates or container lids
  • paintbrushes

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Happy New Year Printable

New Year's Countdown template to use for art and math activities with young children. Invitation to add paint print fireworks, count down from 10 t0 1 and match numbers.

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Download this “Happy New Year” printable for the fireworks art activity. It can be printed on 8 1/2 inch x 11-inch paper, or 11-inch by 17-inch paper.

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Happy New Year PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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The Printmaking Invitation

Do the following steps to paint print fireworks:

Cut fringes into one end of three toilet paper rolls.

Bend the fringes on each paper roll outward.

Pour magenta, yellow, and light blue paint into small plates or lids.

Set out the paints, paper rolls, and paper on a table.

Ask your little learner to dip the fringed end of each paper roll into a color of paint and make a firework print on the paper.

Encourage your little one to add more prints in each paint color to the page.

Invitation to paint fireworks with fringed toilet paper rolls.

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Tip: Try this on a practice sheet first.

For added control, fringed ends can be painted with a brush instead of being dipped in paint.

New Year's fireworks printmaking with fringed toilet paper rolls.

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Fireworks paint prints made with fringed toilet paper rolls.

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To incorporate number recognition and matching practice, ask your early learner to cover the numbers 10 to 1 with numeric stickers.

Number matching on a New Year's countdown printable.

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Dot Marker New Year’s Countdown

Another way to use the New Year’s Countdown printable is to let your little learner decorate it with paper stars. Then ask your little one to count down the numbers from ten to one, dabbing each numeral with a dot marker as it is spoken.

Dot marker New Year's countdown invitation.

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Dot marker New Year's countdown activity.

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These New Year’s countdown activities will be sure to help your early learner start the new year off on a positive note. Let the counting begin!

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New Year's countdown printmaking and number matching printable.

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More New Year’s Activities

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

New Year’s Crafts

New Year’s Sensory Tray

New Year’s Art and Math Activities

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[Read more…] about New Year’s Countdown Activities

Filed Under: art, Math, New Year's, preschool Tagged With: Happy New Year, New Year's Eve, painting, printables, printmaking

New Year’s Crafts

December 29, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This post has been updated for New Year 2025.

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2025 is just around the corner, and who doesn’t mind having some easy-to-do New Year’s crafts at their fingertips. These activities double up as 2025 keepsakes. You can choose from several glitzy versions.

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2025 Collage Craft

Supplies Needed:

  • glitter gold cardstock
  • tan cardstock
  • 8 ½ x 11-inch cream cardstock
  • gold sequins, stars, balls, and confetti
  • gold glitter glue
  • glue paddle
  • collage containers
  • adhesive gems
  • black or gold metallic felt pen
  • pencil
  • scissors
  • glue stick or glue gun

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Making The 2025 Collage Craft

Trace your little learner’s hand on a piece of tan cardstock, or let your child do the tracing.

Help your child cut out the hand.

Add gold glitter glue and craft bits to small containers. Simply collect any gold-colored craft items you have around for the collaging.

Set out the gold bits, glue, glue paddle, and paper hand on a table.

Gold craft supplies to decorate traced hands.

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Invite your little one to glam up the hand with the collage items, using glitter glue as an adhesive.

Let the collaged hand dry.

Cut a number five and a pair of number two shapes from gold glitter cardstock or a gold gift bag. Download the printable in this post to use as a template if desired.

On cream-colored cardstock, help your little learner use a glue stick to tack on a number two, the decorated hand, another number two, and a number five. Reinforce the shapes with a glue gun if needed. Add a greeting with a black or gold metallic felt pen.

Gold-themed traced hand 2021 keepsake craft.

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The glitzy hand takes center stage in this craft.

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Related: New Year’s Countdown Activities

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Traced Hand 2025 Keepsake

A simpler version of this activity is to trace your little one’s hand on glitter gold or glitter silver cardstock. After cutting it out, have your child glue the glam hand onto a gold or silver numbered 2025 template (downloadable below.)

A gold glitter traced hand completes this 2021 keepsake craft.

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Adhesive gems enhance the craft.

Gold cardstock traced hand and adhesive gem 2021 craft.

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Silver glitter cardstock and adhesive gem 2021 keepsake craft.

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Golden Hand Craft Printable

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2025 Here I Come Gold PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Silver Hand Craft Printable

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2025 Here I Come Silver 2 PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Related: New Year’s Sensory Tray

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Rhinestone 2025 New Year’s Crafts

Skip the hand art and invite your early learner to add adhesive gems to a metallic numbered 2025 printable.

Adhesive gem decorated 2021 keepsake craft supplies.

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Below are silver, gold, and black versions for downloading.

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Gold 2025 Template

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2025 Here I Come Gold PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Silver 2025 Template

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2025 Here I Come Silver PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Black 2025 Template

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2025 Here I Come Black PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Adhesive gem decorated 2021 keepsake craft.

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These New Year’s crafts are great for strengthening finger muscles and practicing eye-hand coordination. They facilitate number recognition and pattern making. And your little learner will love the opportunity to use adhesive gems and gold-themed craft supplies in these projects.

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Happy New Year 2025!

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Collage 2021 keepsake craft with a gold theme.

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More New Year’s Activities

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

New Year’s Countdown Activities

New Year’s Sensory Tray

New Year’s Art and Math Activities

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[Read more…] about New Year’s Crafts

Filed Under: art, Math, New Year's, preschool Tagged With: Happy New Year, keepsakes, New Year's crafts, New Year's Eve, printables

New Year’s Sensory Tray

January 14, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

New Year's sensory tray with gold and silver pieces. Two watch heads are the highlights. This tray offers math, language and sensory opportunities for learning.

This New Year’s sensory tray shines bright with gold and silver accents. Two watch heads are the highlight of the bin, and children treasure finding them.

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New Year's sensory tray with gold and silver pieces. Two watch heads are the highlights. This tray offers math, language and sensory opportunities for learning.

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The collection of pieces below is all gold with a few silver parts added in. The musical instruments are black, only because the gold finish wore off in previous play! The alphabet letters are cut from “Happy New Year” necklaces.

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Gold and silver supplies to use in a New Year's sensory tray. Opportunity to sort and count pieces and make sets. Invitation to spell the wish "Happy New Year."

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The base ingredient is parboiled rice, as its yellow hue complements the gold tone of the bin. The ingredients are showcased in a silver metal square-shaped tray.

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A square-shaped silver metal tray is perfect for showcasing the gold and silver pieces in this New Year's sensory play center.

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Items In The New Year’s Sensory Tray:

  • parboiled rice
  • antique watch heads set to 12:00
  • tube confetti
  • confetti party hats and stars
  • sequins
  • foil pieces
  • tiny balls
  • beads
  • pom poms
  • bead garland strips
  • tinsel
  • bells
  • musical instruments
  • alphabet letters that spell the wish “Happy New Year”
  • star dessert cups
  • spoons

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Safari Toob musical instruments would be a stand out in this tray.

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Activities To Extend Exploration

Your early learner will enjoy sifting through the sensory tray and filling the star dessert cups with treasures.  A few prompts will extend learning opportunities.

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New Year's sensory tray with gold and silver pieces. Two antique watch heads are the highlights. This tray offers math, language and sensory opportunities for learning.

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Search And Find Challenges

Challenge your child to…

  • find letter H, Y, etc.
  • collect five pom poms
  • shake bells in cupped hands to make music
  • search for watch heads
  • find three silver stars and two gold stars
  • add musical instruments to a star dessert cup

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Spelling “Happy New Year”

Cut necklaces into “HAPPY NEW YEAR” sections. Ask your little one to find the letters that make up the New Year’s greeting. 

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New Year's sensory tray with an invitation to spell the wish "Happy New Year". This tray offers sensory, math and language opportunities for learning.

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The gold and silver pieces are not precious metals, but this New Year’s sensory tray has a rich feel that is sure to be inviting.

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To create a similar tray, keep an eye out for baubles to recycle from Christmas events or gift openings. As an alternative, you can put together a bright, colorful bin as seen at rubberbootsandelfshoes.

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More New Year’s Activities

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

New Year’s Crafts

New Year’s Countdown Activities

New Year’s Art and Math Activities

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[Read more…] about New Year’s Sensory Tray

Filed Under: literacy, Math, New Year's, sensory Tagged With: Happy New Year, holiday, New Year's Eve, rice bin, sensory bin

Happy New Year Art And Math Activities

December 30, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Ring in the new year and decade with easy, no fuss art activities that double up as math exercises. Early learners count down from 10 to one and work with the numbers in 2020 while doing art activities with paint, glue, adhesive jewels and collage items.

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In a few days, we will celebrate the beginning of a new year. If you are looking for no-fuss activities for your child to start the year with these simple art and math projects fit the bill. Offer them at home or save them for the first days back at school in January.

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Related: 2025 New Year’s Crafts

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2025 New Year Keepsake Supplies

For this first craft, gather the following supplies:

  • golden glitter cardstock
  • tan cardstock
  • 8 ½ x 11-inch cream cardstock
  • gold sequins, stars, balls, and confetti
  • gold glitter
  • gold glitter glue
  • glue paddle
  • collage containers
  • pencil
  • scissors
  • metallic gold felt pen
  • glue stick
  • glue gun

The 2025 New Year Keepsake Craft

Trace your child’s hand on a piece of tan cardstock, or let your child do the tracing.

Help your child cut out the hand.

Add gold glitter glue and collage items to small containers.

Set the collage items, glue, glue paddle, and paper hand on a table.

Decorate handprints with glitter glue and gold stars, sequins, confetti, and glitter. A collage activity for all ages.

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Invite your child to glam up the hand with gold-colored collage items.

Sprinkle on gold glitter and confetti at the end for an added dose of glitz.

Let the handprint dry.

Cut a pair of number two shapes and one number five shape from golden glitter cardstock.

On cream-colored cardstock, help your child use a glue stick to tack on a number two, the decorated paper hand, another number two, and the number 5. Reinforce the shapes with a glue gun if needed.

Add the words “Here I Come” underneath the number 2025 with a metallic gold felt pen.

Glitter paper and gold collage items are front and center in this 2020 handprint art activity. An easy to make New Year's keepsake suitable for children of all ages.

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To introduce a simple version of this art project, trace and cut out a couple of number twos, a number five, and a hand from white cardstock. Let your child color the paper hand and numbers, and glue them onto a contrasting background. 

Feel free to download this template to use for the numbers.

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2025 Here I Come Gold PrintableDownload

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For more 2025 templates, view my blog post “New Year’s Crafts.”

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New Year Countdown Fireworks Picture

This second activity gives practice in number recognition and counting down from 10 to 1. It does double duty as an art activity.

Supplies Needed:

  • Happy New Year printable (download below)
  • scissors
  • three toilet paper rolls
  • magenta, yellow, and light blue tempera paint
  • small plates or lids
  • paintbrushes
New Year's Countdown template to use for art and math activities with young children. Invitation to add paint print fireworks, count down from 10 t0 1 and match numbers.

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Download this “Happy New Year” printable on 11-inch by 17-inch paper, or 8 ½ x 11-inch paper.

Happy New Year PrintableDownload

This printable was created in PicMonkey and is for individual and one classroom use only.

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Paper Roll Firework Paint Project Set-Up

For this second New Year’s activity, cut fringes into one end of three toilet paper rolls.

Bend the fringes on each paper roll outward.

Pour magenta, yellow, and light blue paint into small plates or lids.

Set the paints, paper rolls, and paper on a table covered with a waterproof tablecloth.

Ring in the new year with your early learners by introducing an activity to make toilet roll and paint fireworks. Use the Happy New Year printable to count down from 10 to 1.

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Ask your child to dip the fringed end of each paper roll into a color of paint and make a firework print on the printable.

Encourage your child to add more prints in each paint color to the page.

Tip: Try this on a practice sheet first.

Practice making paint print fireworks on a piece of scrap paper before making prints on the Happy New Year printable.

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For more control, paint the fringed ends with a brush instead of dipping them in paint.

Toilet paper roll firework paint prints. For added control, paint the fringes of the paper roll and press onto the Happy New Year printable to create fireworks.

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A paper roll and paint art activity to ring in the new year with. Introduce this activity with your early learners using this Happy New Year printable. Incorporate math by having children count down from 10 to 1 and match numbers by adding numerical stickers.

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To incorporate number recognition and matching practice, ask your child to cover the numbers 10 to 1 with numerical stickers.

A paper roll and paint art activity to ring in the new year with. Introduce this activity with your early learners using this Happy New Year printable. Incorporate math by having children count down from 10 to 1 and match numbers by adding numerical stickers.

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These two art and math activities are sure to help your child start the new year off on a positive note. I hope 2025 will be fabulous for you and your loved ones!

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More New Year’s Activities

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

New Year’s Crafts

New Year’s Sensory Tray

New Year’s Countdown Activities

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[Read more…] about Happy New Year Art And Math Activities

Filed Under: art, literacy, Math, New Year's Tagged With: fine motor activity, Happy New Year, holiday, New Year's Eve

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Hi, I'm Annette Kaminsky. I am a preschool teacher who loves to share easy and fun early learning activities. Thanks for visiting my blog. Feel free to stay awhile!

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