Happy Chinese New Year's! New Years is such a wonderful time of year. You can reflect on everything that has happened the previous year, as well as make new goals and dreams for the new one. Chinese New Year's, can be an amazing and fun time for everyone. It's during this time, that we spend time with our loved ones, take part in exciting and festive traditions, and reflect on our lives. There are so many awesome activities that surrounds the new year as well. In this post, we share some of our favorite activities that you can do with your children in celebration of the new year!
Infant
1. Sensory play
In this activity your infant will have fun taking part in their very own Chinese New Year's Sensory bin!
Things You Will Need:
-Large plastic bin
-cups (various sizes)
-large serving spoons
-beads
-feathers
-construction paper
- toy coins
- small furry toy animals
-various decorative items
Start off by collecting any and all of your choice in decorative items. We suggest having various textured items that can fit in the palm of your infants hand. Fill your plastic bin with cut up construction paper, preferably in red and yellow colors. Add your feathers, and beads. If you do not want to use beads, we also suggest medium sized "squishy" balls. Place your animals, spoons,coins and cups throughout your bin. Once you are finished, encourage your baby to explore and search throughout the bin. This is a great way to introduce different concepts and themes surrounding the Chinese New Year, while also having fun pinching, picking up and rolling each item as they explore.
2. Hand print dragon painting
For this fun activity, infants can make their very own hand print dragon painting!
Things You Will Need:
-Paint
-Construction paper
-googly eyes
-glue
This is a simple, yet awesome activity that you and your infant can do. Start off by choosing what color paint you want to use. We suggest at least three different colors. Lay out your construction paper. Carefully dip your infant's hand in your first color, then make and impression on the paper. Make sure to leave space for the "Head" of the dragon. Continue using your different colors, and making imprints on the paper, in a line, until you have your "dragon" shape. You can also use a paint brush to slowly paint around the hand prints a dragon outline. Next, have your baby make one last imprint, but only of their fist. This will be the dragon's head. Glue your googly eyes and you're done! This is a cute activity, that let's your baby explore the different texture of the paint, while being creative. You also can use this activity, to remember your baby's first Chinese New Years!
3. Chinese New Year Play Doh
Infants will explore fun Chinese New Year's Play Doh!
Things You Will Need:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups salt
-red food coloring
- bowl
- measuring cups
-Yellow non toxic glitter
Start off by measuring your flour, and pouring it into your bowl. Next, using a measuring cup, measure out your 1 cup of water. Add 2-3 drops of your red food coloring, and mix until it is well dissolved. Pour your water mixture into your flour, and then add 2 cups of salt. Mix and fold your doh until you have your desired consistency. You may need to add more water or food coloring, depending on how bright you want your color. Once you are finished, you can add your glitter. Let your baby have fun rolling the doh and playing with it between their fingers and palms. This is a great sensory activity, that can help promote muscle strength, and small motor skills.
Toddler
1. Animal naming activity
Your toddler can have fun naming and making all the different animals of the Chinese zodiac.
Things You Will Need:
-construction paper
-glue
-markers
-Paper plates
Start off by making a list of every animal from the Chinese zodiac. Ask your toddler if they know what some of the animals are, and if they make certain noises. Together, help them carefully cut (or fold and rip) their paper plates into different animal shapes. You can use your construction paper to make the different ears and tails of the animals. Once you are finished, make a medium sized arrow. Place your arrow in the middle, and take turns spinning it, and listing off each of the animal names and sounds.
2.Fire works paintings
In this activity, your toddler will create their own fireworks painting!
Things You Will Need:
-multiple cardboard tube rolls
-paint
-construction paper
Carefully cut each cardboard tube at the bottom, making strips that are still attached in a flower design. Have the children then dip their tubes in various colored paint, and instruct them to press and twirl the painted bottoms onto their construction paper. This should give them the firework designs! Your toddler can have fun pressing each tube into the paint and making their own firework painting creation. This activity not only helps in creative expression, but it also helps build hand-eye coordination as well as develop small motor skills.
3. Rattle Drums craft
For this cute craft, toddlers can make and enjoy their very own rattle drums.
Things You Will Need:
-paper plates
-glue
-markers
-popsicle sticks (or wooden dowels)
-pom poms
-yarn
-beads
-construction paper
Start by taking one paper plate, and glue a strip of construction paper around it. you should leave enough room for your strip to fold onto the plate, and then glue those sides down. Next, add your beads in the middle of the plate. Glue your other plate on top of your first plate and construction paper, sealing in your beads. Cut a small hole in the middle between your plates. Stick your popsicle stick or dowel in this hole. Next, glue two pieces of yarn on either side of your drum. attach your pom poms and tie the yarn in a knot at the bottom. Decorate as you please. Now you have your very own rattle drum! This activity let's your children get creative, as they build their own musical instrument. Once they're finished they can shake rattle and make as much noise as they want as they have fun celebrating the new year.
Preschooler
1. Paper lantern
In this activity, your children will create their own paper lanterns.
Things You Will Need:
-construction paper
-streamers
-scissors
-glue
-markers
Start off by taking one sheet of construction paper, and rolling it length wise, until you get a tube shape. glue the sides together. Carefully cut six slits on either side of your tube. Slightly fold your tube inside of itself until your slits start to poke out. You may need to pull them out as well. Slightly fold the middle of each of your strips between your slits. Next, cut a strip of paper and glue it into a handle shape at the top of your tube. Finally, take your paper streamers and glue them to the bottom inside of your tube. Decorate as you please. Now your paper lanterns are finished! This is a fun and creative activity that incorporates cutting, gluing and folding skills.
2. Paper fans
Your children can make their own paper fans in this simple craft!
Things You Will Need:
-Paper plates
-popsicle sticks
-ribbon
-paint
Start off by cutting your paper plates in half. Carefully fold your plates into itself, resembling an accordion. On either side of your plates, glue your popsicle sticks, crossing them in an "X" at the bottom. Tie your ribbon around the bottom of the popsicle sticks. Paint your fan in anyway you desire. This craft is so easy to do, yet incredibly fun! You can also decorate each portion in a different pattern or design. The folding and cutting aspect, helps your children build their small motor skills, as well as take part in creative expression.
3. Dragon painting pattern activity
Learn patterns in this awesome math activity!
Things You Will Need:
-Paint
-construction paper
-stamped paint brushes
This is another easy to do activity. Start by pouring your different colored paint into separate bowls. You can have your children draw out a simple dragon shape. Divide the shape into parts. You can also number the parts in a pattern as well. Have your children paint according to the pattern until they fill up their dragon. Ex: (1-red, 2-yellow,3-black,1-red etc). You can turn this simple activity into a math activity, by following the number sequence!
4. Coloring Sheet
Here is a link to a free printable coloring sheet that features a fun Chinese Zodiac animal coloring activity! Courtesy of clipart.email
School Age
1. Chinese New Year's collage shape activity
In this activity, your children will practice their shapes and colors, as they make their very own collages.
Things You Will Need:
-Scissors
-construction paper
-glue
-markers
Start off by coming up with different Chinese New Year's symbols. This can include animals, a certain food item, or a special decor piece. Once you have picked out your shape, ask your children to draw out the shape as big as possible on their paper. Next, divide the shape into different shapes that can fit inside. For example, if you are making an animal, divide the top head as a circle, the feet as squares and so on. Trace the shapes onto different colored paper, and cut and paste them into the space. See if your children can name each shape, and what color they are using, as well as how much of a certain shape they have used. This activity incorporates, color shape and number recognition as your children have fun making their own Chinese New Year's designs!
2. Vocab bingo game
For this game, your children can practice their vocabulary by naming off their Chinese New Year bingo items.
Things You Will Need:
-Construction paper
-Poster board
-markers
Start off by creating a large bingo board, with your markers and poster board. In each square, ask your children to draw their favorite Chinese New Year's item. Write out a list of every item, and number or letter your items accordingly. You can then take turns naming out each item until your children gets bingo. This activity helps in recognizing the different aspects surrounding the holiday, and let's your children practice naming each item, and what they look like. You can even write out sentences describing what the item is, and having the children check to see if they have it.
3. Baking
Baking is a great way to not only learn, but open up discussions about family and loved ones, and some of the traditions everyone might have. Below we have included a list of some yummy Chinese New Year recipes!
1. Baked Chinese New Year Cake by Louisa Yue at Chowhound.com
2. Nian Gao by Amy + Jacky from pressurecookrecipes.com
3. Tang Yuan by Wei at redhousespice.com
4. Dragon Worksheet
Here is a link to a free printable worksheet that features a fun dragon math activity! Courtesy of superteacherworksheets.com
5. Chinese New Year's Research
For this activity, children will lead their own research into learning all about the Chinese New Year.
Starting off, help your children come up with a list of questions that they might have surrounding the holiday. Some of these questions can include:
-When is the Chinese New Year?
-What are some of the traditions related to Chinese New Year's?
-What do we eat for the Chinese New Year?
-What activities do we take part in for the Chinese New Year?
-Why is the Chinese New Year important?
Once they have their questions, they can start their research. We've included links to some sites that can help them in their research as well. This activity, is a great opportunity for children to ask questions, while finding the answers to their own questions. They can develop new research skills, as well as expand on any previous knowledge about the subject.
Here are some helpful links that you can use with your research!
Below is a list of some books all about Chinese New Year's!
1. Chinese New Year For Kids By Baby Professor
2. Peppa's Chinese New Year By Eon
3. My First Chinese New Year (M First Holiday) By Karen Katz
4. Bringing in the New Year By Grace Lin
5. Ruby's Chinese New Year By Vickie Lee and Joey Chou