Discovery Place Kids welcomes the “Noon” Year with family-friendly fun

ROCKINGHAM— Discovery Place Kids in Rockingham rang in the new year 12 hours early with a celebration perfect for children and their families. The Noon Year’s Eve event drew about 230 attendees and featured a variety of engaging activities.

“We’ve been doing this celebration for several years,” said Angela Watkins, director of Discovery Place Kids in Rockingham.

Children enjoyed crafting hats and crowns, getting temporary tattoos, and participating in an apple juice toast at noon, which was followed by a festive balloon drop. A photo booth allowed families to capture special memories, while a scavenger hunt around the building offered kids the chance to find hidden figures and earn prizes.

Watkins shared her enthusiasm for the event, saying, “Just seeing families and friends come together and enjoy the new year. It’s such a celebratory mood.” She also noted that the celebration offers convenience for parents, adding, “Children get to celebrate at noon, and the parents can go out and celebrate tonight.”

The fun doesn’t stop with Noon Year’s Eve. Discovery Place Kids has a lineup of space-themed programs throughout January, designed to entertain and educate:

Astronaut Training Academy (Jan. 6–12): Kids can complete physical exercises and tackle space-themed challenges, including tasks simulating the difficulty of working in astronaut attire.

Moon Phases Magic (Jan. 14–19): Through demonstrations and crafts, children will explore the phases of the moon.

Cool Constellations (Jan. 20–26): Kids can create constellation art and learn how ancient cultures used the stars for navigation and storytelling.

Rocket Power (Jan. 28–31): Participants will learn about rocket mechanics and build their own paper rockets to launch.

On Jan. 20, the center will also host a special story time for Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Sandhills Stage at 1:30 p.m.