FOR THE KIDS : Lest Young Acquaintances Be Forgot, It’s Also Party Time : Oxnard and Thousand Oaks schedule special New Year’s Eve events geared to the teen-age and preteen set.

New Year’s Eve used to be strictly an adult thing, but not so anymore in some parts of Ventura County.

In Oxnard, younger children will be partying all night during a sleep-over. Activities include crafts, games and videos. There will be party favors to welcome the new year in rowdy style.

In Thousand Oaks, high school students can also party hearty in nonalcoholic fashion at the Teen Center, where they’ll find an assortment of fun stuff, including a Las Vegas-style casino.

Organizers say these events let the kids share New Year’s Eve merriment in a safe setting, and the sleep-overs give parents a worry-free night without the hassle of baby-sitters or kids left home alone.

Oxnard bills its traditional all-nighter as a slumber party for kids 6 to 11, but no one gets much sleep. The kids arrive at the Oxnard Community Center at 7 p.m. with sleeping bags, pillows, toothbrushes, stuffed animals and anything else they need for a night away from home.

They play games, do art projects, snack on pizza and watch videos until midnight when they make as much noise as possible. If they want, they can stay up all night. It’s all over after breakfast at 9 a.m on New Year’s Day when their parents pick them up.

“Last year, we had 20 or 25 kids,” said Paul Ronan, recreation coordinator. “It makes the kids feel like they are going to their own party.”

The cost per child is $25. Pre-registration is required. Call no later than today to reserve a spot.

At the Thousand Oaks Teen Center, teen-agers won’t be spending the night. Their party runs from 9 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. It costs $6 per person--cheap considering what they’ll be getting, thanks to $4,300 in donations from the community.

The lobby will be transformed into a casino with a crap table, roulette wheel, blackjack tables and dealers dressed in tuxedos. Kids play with chips and trade them for prizes donated by businesses and people in the community. In another part of the center, a coffeehouse will be set up so kids can sip espresso while listening to poetry and gentle music. If all that is too low-key, they can dance to music played by deejays, who also will hold a lip-syncing contest.

Meanwhile, they can help themselves to free refreshments and food. Throughout the night, there will be drawings for prizes donated by merchants.

Just before midnight, the countdown will begin. At midnight, hundreds of balloons will drop from the ceiling in the gym. Confetti will fill the air, along with the blare of noisemakers.

In past years, the bash has drawn several hundred teens, and this year the number will be limited to 300. They aren’t kidding when they say it’s just for high school kids: Identification will be checked.

Details

* TEENS: For high school students, the Thousand Oaks Teen Center, 1375 E. Janss Road, has a bash from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Cost is $6. For information, call 494-5156.

* ALSO: The city of Oxnard is offering a sleep-over for children 6 to 11 years at the Oxnard Community Center, 800 Hobson Way, from 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 9 a.m. Cost is $25. For reservations and information, call 385-7995.