Don’t Leave the Kids Out of Celebrating the New Year

Tue 12/31

You know the kids are eagerly anticipating 2020 too. But maybe you know they’ll just end up crashing before midnight, or maybe you want to tire them out so they do so. There are many opportunities ways to celebrate early in the day, and be tucked in to let the adults toast at midnight in peace.

A lot of family-friendly events center around celebrating at noon. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Geauga Park District are three of those.

At CMNH’s New Year’s at Noon, which opens at noon, there’ll actually be THREE countdowns: at noon, 1pm and 2pm, featuring giant dinosaur egg drops with surprises inside (a live dinosaur?). After that there’ll be crafts and various other activities throughout the museum and the chance to check out the Ultimate Dinosaurs special exhibit. The countdowns take place in Murch Auditorium and seating is first come, first serve. It’s included with regular admission.

cmnh/new-years-at-noon

Noon Year’s Eve at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo takes place from 10am-1pm when there’ll be special activities surrounding the noon countdown. While that’s included in regular admission, there’s also a VIP brunch. Be sure to stop and say hi to the new feline resident at Rosebrough Tiger Passage before you go.

clevelandmetroparkszoo//noon-year-s-eve

The New Year’s Eve Celebration celebration at Geauga Park District’s Veterans Legacy Woods banquet center in Newbury runs from 11am-12:30pm. There’ll be pizza and drinks and a “toast” at noon, plus games, crafts and other activities (some outdoors if weather permits) for the whole family. It’s free but registration is required.

reservations.geaugaparkdistrict

Two other fun places to take the kids to make them feel they’re doing something special on New Year’s Eve:

The dual toboggan chutes at Cleveland Metroparks’ Millstream Run will be open from noon-5pm, taking visitors down the tallest, faster chutes in Ohio. Don’t worry if New Year’s Eve day is a tad warm: they run in temperatures up to 50 degrees. It’s $12 for adults, $10 for kids 11 and younger.

clevelandmetroparks/tobogganing

The festival Glow holiday show at the Cleveland Botanical Garden is open today from 10am-3pm, with lighted trees, holiday décor, more than 100 gingerbread houses and a mini-train that takes kids around the property. Adult are $15; kids 3-12 are $10.

CBG/glow

Finally, if your kids are the type who can keep going until midnight, take them to the family-friendly Chagrin Falls Popcorn Ball Drop. It starts at 10:30pm with cocoa and cookies in Chagrin Falls Township Hall before the ball — more than six times larger than last year’s — begins its midnight descent.

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106

3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, OH 44109-3132

14085 Ravenna Rd, Newbury Township, OH 44065

Valley Pkwy, Berea, OH 44017

Cleveland, OH 44106

Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

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