Six Netflix specials let kids ring in the new year early so parents can party down

If you have kids, you know that the real New Year’s celebrations don’t really begin until the wee ones are tucked into bed. But that also means you can’t ring in the new year with them, unless you’re willing to keep them up until midnight. Netflix has a fun solution.

The streaming service is offering a diverse set of New Year’s Eve countdowns with kid’s shows that will allow young ones to celebrate all of the fun of New Year’s Eve, but still get to bed on time for a good night’s sleep.

There are options for kids of all ages, including characters from Puffin Rock, Care Bears & Cousins, Inspector Gadget, the Project Mc2 girls, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, and others from six countdown specials in all. Kids can select a favorite character, or watch several countdowns leading up to bedtime. Parents can choose when to play the video: 8, 8:30, 9 p.m., or whenever they see fit for the little ones to call it a night.

The Puffin Rock special features the characters Oona and Baba, who recall their adventures through 2015, and celebrate with the Northern Lights. In Care Bears & Cousins, a party goes down in Share Bear’s Shake Shack, where the kids are invited to count down to the New Year. Should the kids prefer to celebrate with Inspector Gadget, they can do so with a dazzling fireworks display alongside the clumsy detective. In another special, kids can join King Julien to dance into the new year or join Mr. Peabody and Sherman as they travel around the world to gather their favorite talk show guests and celebrate with make-believe celebrities. Finally, older kids can join the Project Mc2 girls for their big NOV8 party.

Netflix has done its research to determine that such an offering would, indeed, go over well with subscribers, conducting a survey which includes over 9,000 parents in nine countries around the world with at least one child aged 12 or under. The survey found that 58 percent of parents would jump at the chance to put their kids to bed before the clock really strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve. Which country hosts the biggest adult-only parties once the kids are deep in slumber? According to the survey, it’s parents in Spain and Mexico, with 50 percent saying they “can’t wait” to kick off the parents-only party once the little ones are in bed.

Those in Brazil seem to have the most family-oriented view towards the early countdown options, with 63 percent saying that the biggest advantage isn’t getting the kids to bed early, but being able to celebrate the holiday as an entire family. And in the U.S., 41 percent of parents say they do indeed have a plan to get the kids to bed early. Chances are with this new offering, that plan will include a Netflix kid’s countdown a few hours before the real clock strikes 12.

To find the specials, simply search for “New Year’s Eve Countdown.” Says Netflix: “We won’t tell them it’s not midnight if you don’t.” Happy New Year!

from Planet GS via John Jason Fallows on Inoreader http://ift.tt/1NUWkrZ
Christine Persaud