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new year’s interview: fun family tradition

home / Activities / holidays / new year’s interview: fun family tradition
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new years interviewIt’s New Year’s Interview time! (I can hardly believe it!)

This year, we made some minor adjustments to our traditional New Year’s Family Interview because as the kids get older, I’m more interested in their thoughts and reflections than on their favorite color or best friend.

So after our late-afternoon fondue dinner, we busted out with the biggie ice-cream sundae fixings.

We made monster sundaes, got all crazy on sugar, and then got to work on our interviews–a fun and easy family tradition that we’ve all come to appreciate and cherish.

Here’s the skinny. . .

New Year’s Interview–Fun Family Tradition:

It’s really just that–a fun family tradition and nothing more.

No pressure, no stress, just a few questions to kick off the year and to summarize where we all are as far as favorites, dreams, ideas, and activities are concerned.

new years family interview icecream

Before New Year’s Interviews? Ice-cream!!

We make sure all (or most!) of our ice-cream dishes are away, and then we get rockin’ and rollin’ on our interviews.

What’s the format of the New Year’s Family Interview? Simple.

Each page of the interview is only a half-sheet, which I think is perfect; it’s not intimidating, and it means that answers can be short and sweet.

I did make some changes this year.

  • What is your favorite color?
  • What is your favorite food?
  • Who is your best friend?

Have changed to:

  • What is your favorite thing to wear?
  • What is one cool thing you learned last year?
  • Who do you like to hang out with the most?

I just thought the new questions lent themselves to more thought than the older ones. But if you want the older ones, download last year’s New Year’s Interview version (see below!). No biggie!

new years interview

Owen zips through his. . .

new years interview

. . . and Maddy takes her time on hers.

But it also means that because two people’s answers can fit on a sheet, that the kids should complete theirs first–that way, there’s no ‘influencing’ of answers or ideas from another person’s responses.ย  So the kids grab a pen and find a quiet spot, and they complete their interview.

When they needed support with reading or writing, my husband and I took turns helping them. Now, I just sat across the table from Cora because she wanted to do it all on her own since this year, the ‘coolest thing she learned’ was how to read. (Yay!!!)

new years family interview

Cora works on her interview–all by herself.

When everyone has completed his or her interview, we take turns reading answers and sharing.

Sometimes, we video everyone reading, and other times–it’s cool just reading them.

new years day interview

And then we share our answers!

And then we clip them all into our rockstar New Year’s Interview binder and read answers from past years.ย ย 

Sometimes, the kids get a real kick out of seeing up-close how much their handwriting (or spelling) has improved, and we always have a giggle when we see the first year’s–Cora’s scribble across the page and Owen’s teeny name, Maddy’s attempts at writing on her own.

Here’s the undated (fill-in-the-date) New Year’s Family Interview, and know that the early years one is attached. So use what works for your crew~

It’s a great–easy!–tradition that can be started any time.ย 

Missed New Year’s? Do your family interviews every President’s Day or Mother’s Day and start your New Year’s then.

It doesn’t matter.

What matters is that the kids are thinking, the kids are writing, the kids are reflecting, and the family’s doing something fun together.

Here’s to a happy, healthy, peaceful New Year filled with love, laughter, and time together!

Do you want to buy the New Year’s Family Interview:

buy now button


child writing answers to interview


buy now button



Need some more fun New Yearโ€™s ideas?

Check out:

  • New Year’s Bingo Bonanza
  • New Year’s 20 Questions
  • Easy, Affordableย New Yearโ€™s Traditions
  • New Yearโ€™s Shakers
  • Scratch Off Ticketsย 
  • New Yearโ€™s Pinterest board

Please feel free to pin this post for later!

new years interview | teachmama.com

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About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro ยท http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

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