NORMAL - Madeline and Emily Sanders started celebrating the countdown to the New Year early on Wednesday. By noon, the two girls from Urbana already had played bingo, participated in a limbo contest, made Happy New Year 2009 cards and picture frames, got their face painted and took part in a cookie walk. | Photo gallery

At noon, Madeline, 8, and Emily, 5, and their father, Kirk, joined about 500 other girls and boys and moms and dads for a countdown to noon.

With noisemakers in full swing, the group collectively counted down from 10 seconds and cheered as confetti spilled from overhead when the clock hit 12. It was all part of the "Noon Year's Eve" celebration at the Children's Discovery Museum in uptown Normal.

"The girls were both out of school and we love the Children's Discovery Museum," said Kirk Sanders. When they heard about the party, they decided to drive over.

Madeline got her face painted like a tiger and Emily had "The Zoo Lady," Mickey Lower, paint her face like a kitten.

"I like endangered animals," said Madeline. She planned to put the picture her dad took of her face painting in the frame she made at the museum.

Sarah Vose, 4, and Kristin Vose, 7, of Bloomington made crowns to wear at the countdown. Sarah used a rainbow of colors but especially liked orange. Kristin liked green the best but used a blue marker on the crown.

It was just the start of a full day of activities for the girls.

"We get to stay up (tonight) and watch 'Wall-E' and eat popcorn," said Kristin.

The girls' mom, Marie Vose, said the family came to the event last year "and had a good time" so decided to return this year.

Sarah won two games of bingo, the girls went on the Luckey Climber and made trail mix.

Meanwhile, Clare Gott, 3, of Normal won a one of the cookie walk games and, of course, got a cookie as a prize.

"I winned it," she said. "If you stand on one of those (pictures), you get a cookie."

Clare happened to be on the picture of the rocket when the music stopped so she was the winner of that game.

Before playing cookie walk, Clare also went on the climber and - she said proudly - got all the way to the top. Her brother, Tyler, and mom and dad, Janna and Dan Gott, also took part in the festivities.

As the visitors gathered for the confetti drop, 3-year-old Nicole Hartless practiced blowing her roll-out horn. She blew it so many times, it got wet and wouldn't roll out any more.

"It's our first year," said her mom, RaNelle Hartless of Normal. "It's definitely fun for the kids."

Heather Young, public affairs coordinator for the museum, said 819 people took part in the day's activities, which ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. That figure is more than 100 higher than last year.