Kids Ring In The New Year 12 Hours Early

By: Stephanie Stilwell

WINSTON-SALEM – Kids at the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem brought in the new year early with a “Noon Year’s Eve” party that started just before 12 p.m. Wednesday.

“We thought it would be a fun thing for them to do to celebrate the New Year – have a party before we go out tonight,” parent Melissa Kinsley said.

Kids got to sing songs and listen to stories and just before noon, when there was a countdown and lots of celebrating.

“They are probably not even fully aware of how years change and things like that because these are fairly young kids here,” Eric Kerchner, the executive director of the Children's Museum, said. “But they know they're having a great time and they get to make noise.”

Some kids even made some New Year’s resolutions.

“I want to try to help people,” 7-year-old Laura Michael said.

“I have been trying to be good, but all the times but I get mad sometimes,” 5 year-old Julia Michael said.

This is the first year the Children's Museum has held a celebration on New Year’s Eve, and organizers said since it was such a success, they hope to do it again next year.

Update: We had 416 guests in the Museum for the event. It's already on our calendar for the end of this year!