Most kids and some adults can't make it up until midnight in typical New Year's Eve celebrations. That's why lots of Chicago area kids' venues have put together events to celebrate Noon Year's on the last midday of the year. Many have even created New Year's Eve celebrations with multiple time slots to avoid crowding and maximize fun. Celebrate with bubbles at DuPage Children's Museum, join members of the Paw Patrol for a skating party in Mundelein, or bowl or play bocce to end 2021 at Pinstripes locations in Streeterville, Oak Brook, South Barrington or Northbrook. Join a car scavenger hunt to find new parks in Glenview for the new year, or party on Irish time at Chicago's Gaelic Park in Oak Forest.

Celebrating New Year's on your own? Try out one of our winter day trips from Chicago, or check out one of our favorite locations for snow tubing or ice skating in the Chicago area. Fill in the time in between with some suggestions from our top things to do during winter break roundup.