Bowers Museum lets kids ring in the New Year – at noon

SANTA ANA – Stefanie Servin stood outside a circle watching her two kids count down to 12 o’clock with a group of other children at Bowers Museum’s Kidseum on Sunday, Dec . 31.
Once the kids got to “one”, they shot off their decorated confetti poppers and rattled noisemakers.
Her kids, Isaiah, 6, and Shayla, 2, had widely different reactions to the poppers.
“Shayla closed her eyes, I think she was scared it would explode,” Stefanie Servin, a La Mirada resident, said. “Isaiah was really excited. They’re going to bed early tonight, but for them it’s more about starting a new tradition and giving them something to celebrate.”
Kristofers Karami, 3, is aglow in light-up balls at the Bowers Kidseum celebration in Santa Ana on Sunday, Dec 31, 2017. The museum featured kid-friendly activities to ring in an early 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Shayla Servin, 2, of La Mirada sets off her hand-made confetti popper with other children at the Bowers Kidseum New Year celebration in Santa Ana on Sunday, Dec 31, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Charlotte Clayton, 5, sets off her confetti during the Bowers Kidseum New Year celebration in Santa Ana on Sunday, Dec 31, 2017. Later tonight Charlotte will have a pajama party with her cousins, said her mom Ana Clayton. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Shayla Servin, 2, has a colorful early New Year celebration at the Bowers Kidseum in Santa Ana on Sunday, Dec 31, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Tyshan Caruso, 4, watches the balloons drop at Bowers Kidseum, almost 12 hours before 2018 rings in Santa Ana on Sunday, Dec 31, 2017. Although Tyshan enthusiastically declared he’d be staying up until midnight, his mom Candice Caruso plans to put him to bed at 7 p.m. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Shayla Servin, 2, has a colorful early New Year celebration at the Bowers Kidseum in Santa Ana on Sunday, Dec 31, 2017. The museum provided art, entertainment, and a New Year’s countdown starting at noon. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Children at the Bowers Kidseum are showered with 500 balloons after popping confetti during an early New Year celebration in Santa Ana on Sunday, Dec 31, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)Show Caption of Expand
The New Year wouldn’t arrive for another 12 hours, but Kidseum gave children the opportunity to join in on the fun in a safe space by hosting its New Year’s Eve Celebration at noon.
Children decorated their own confetti poppers and noise makers upstairs, while enjoying the museum’s exhibits downstairs.
“Kids love balloons and making messes,” said Jennifer Alvarado, director of Kidseum. “We always try to find ways to encourage parents to be interactive with their kids.”
In addition to practice countdowns at noon and 1 p.m. and a balloon drop at 1:30 p.m., kids and their parents enjoyed colorful exhibits through TeamLab’s Future Park: Art-plus-Technology. The exhibits included a light ball orchestra, where kids could roll inflatable balls around to make musical sounds, and Sketch Town, where they could decorate a rocket or space ship, scan it into a projector and watch their creation float across a giant wall screen.
Alvarado started the New Year’s Eve event when she became director four years ago. She was inspired by events held at other children’s museums across the country, she said.
“It’s all about letting the kids get in the spirit,” Alvarado said. “The nice thing about it is it’s quiet, they aren’t scared of loud noises and it’s all soft material.”
Anna Jin of Santa Ana watched as her two children sat on a green screen “time machine” and traveled through different landscapes around the world, including the Coliseum in Rome and the Great Wall of China.
For Sienna, 5, and Christian, 3, it was all about creating memories, Jin said. Originally, they had planned to pick up Jin’s husband from the airport in Long Beach, but they stopped at Kidseum after hearing his flight was redirected to San Diego because of morning fog.
“We had wanted to check out this museum for a while,” Jin said. “(Our kids) won’t be able to stay up late. It’s so fun, creative and entertaining. It’s good for us them to get out of the house and explore.”
For others, the event was a chance to show their children that New Year’s Eve is a big deal.
“With a family, we decided to slow down and be at home,” said Sanita Sumane-Karami, who with her husband Thomas brought Kristofers, 3, and nine-month old Martin to the museum. “But we want them to know it’s a celebration.”
The TeamLab Future Park: Art + Technology will be available at Kidseum until Jan. 15, Alvarado said.
Source: Oc Register