Through making different Chinese New Year crafts, listening to Chinese music, reading Chinese New Year’s books, and even trying different activities, your kids can experience and immerse themselves in the Chinese culture. That’s great for learning Chinese.

I’m going to show you more than a hundred Chinese New Year Activities including printables, book lists, music, games, art projects, dragon and lantern crafts, STEM activities, pretend play ideas and more.

Are you can ready to create a fun and memorable experience learning Chinese with your kids?

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Before we go to our giant list of Chinese New Year Activities, I would like to explain how knowing the culture helps your kids learn the language.

Why learning the culture is so important?

• It’s easier to make a connection with any foreigners.
• We can understand the belief, behavior, and mindset. Of local people.
• It defines who we are and provides an individual identity for us.
• It enriches our life, so we can learn different things, eat different food, and attend different festivals.
• It Increases creativity
• It provides more opportunities for leisure, entertainment, learning, and sharing experiences with others
• We can learn to embrace different people and cultures in our life, and show appreciation of people who are different and unique

How does knowing the Chinese culture affect my child learning the language?

• Children build self-esteem by communicating with the locals better, because they have something in common to talk about, and they also able to understand them   So your kids will use the language more efficiently.
• It’s just more fun and meaningful. Your kids will gain more understanding and meaning while learning the language. For example, they will understand the history behind those Chinese characters, poems, phrases, etc, and it makes learning the Chinese language more real and practical.
• Culture gives important context to all language skills. In other words, your kids might have difficulty understanding fully what has been said unless they understand the culture. By knowing the culture they will increase their comprehension through the use of different vocabularies and slangs.
• The best part is your kids will be able to understand the context of any Chinese movies, songs, tv shows, and books. And they will advance to a higher level of the Chinese language.

So now we want to absorb as much of the  Chinese culture with our kids. That’s perfect!

You will find just about everything you need to prepare and participate before and during the Chinese New Year festivals at your own home or in the classroom. Let’s dive in!

Chinese New Year Arts & Crafts

Lanterns Crafts

Chinese New Year Zodiac Coloring Lanterns For Kids from Tot schooling

Chinese New Year Lantern Craft for Kids from Artsy Momma

Chinese Lantern Sun Catcher from The Gingerbread House

Chinese New Year Crafts: Mini Lanterns (from TP Rolls!) from Red Ted Art

Chinese Takeout Lantern from Handmade

Crafting with My Kids: Thumbprint Lanterns from Let’s go fly a kite

Chinese Paper Lanterns Printable from Activities for Kids

Dragon Crafts

Chinese Dragon Puppet from Made with Happy

Simple Chinese New Tear Crafts: Paper Plate Dragon from Kiddy Charts

Paper Plate Dragon Twirler from Red Ted Art

DIY Dragon Mask Printables from Red Ted Art

Chinese New Year: Multimedia Dragon Art & Puzzle from Kid Minds

How to Make an Egg Carton Dragon Craft from I Heart Crafty Things

Chinese New Year Craft (Handprint Dragon Puppet) from Baa Baa Beep( leave a comment in the blog)

Toilet Roll Dragon Craft from Learning and Exploring through Play

Recycled Chinese New Year Dragon Puppet from Pink Stripey Socks

Horned Chinese Dragon Art Ideas and Free Coloring Pages from Wise Owl Factory

Awesome Chinese New Year Dragon Kite Puppet from Pink Stripey Socks

Chinese New Year’s Banners Crafts

Free Chinese New Year Banners from Fortune Cookie Mom

Chinese New Year Banners for Decoration – Simplified and Traditional Chinese from Chalk Academy

Chinese New Year Banner Printables/春聯DIY from Spot of Sunshine

Red Envelopes Crafts

Chinese New Year Red Packets Printable from Fortune Cookies Mom

New Year’s Eve Traditions – Red Envelopes (China) from Red Ted Art

Lucky Chinese Red Envelopes 红包 – Free Printable in Simplified and Traditional Chinese! Chalk Academy

Hong Bao (Red Envelopes) for Chinese New Year from Danya Banya

DIY Lucky Red Envelopes Celebrating Chinese New Year from Thrifty Jinxy

Chinese Fans Crafts

Paper Plate Hand Fans from The Pinterested Parent

Decorating Fans for Chinese New Year from Laughing Kids Learn

Other Crafts (Flowers, Masks, Knot, Gold Fish, Fortune Cookies, etc)

Chinese New Year Paper Fortune Cookies from Woo! Jr

Paper Blossoms for Chinese New Year from Pink Stripey Socks

Chinese Fortune Cookies with Notes of Encouragement for Kids from Laughing Kids Learn

[Lulu媽] 自家製親子揮春 溫馨祝賀慶新春 from Ohpama (in Traditional Chinese only)

Chinese Knot Tying Tutorial-Make Red Traditional Decorative Flower Knot for Hanging from PandaHall.com Learning Center

Chinese Diorama Printable Craft for Chinese New Year from Woo! Jr

Chinese New Year Preschool Craft: Firecracker Decorations from The Do-It-Yourself Mom

Kids Craft: Gold Fish & Lantern for Chinese New Year (CNY) from Goody Foodies

Origami Goldfish from Crafty-Crafted

Chinese New Year Books

Chinese New Year Mini-Book from Fortune Cookie Mom

Chinese New Year for Kids: Books and Yoga Poses for Kids from Kids Yoga Stories

Chinese New Year Book List for Kids from Only Passionate Curiosity

14 Books about Chinese New Year for Kids from Gift of Curiosity

Top Chinese New Year Books and Culture Books for Children from Miss Panda Chinese

Chinese New Year Hands-On Activities

Sensory Bins

Chinese New Year Sensory Spaghetti from Learning and Exploring through Play

Chinese New Tear Rice Sensory play from Learning and Exploring through Play

Slime

Chinese New Year Slime & How the Carp Turned into a Dragon from Sugar Spice and Glitter

Golden Glitter Slime from Fun at Home with Kids

Playdough

Playdough Inspired by Chinese New Year from Laughing Kids Learn

Chinese New Year Sensory Play with Spice Play Dough from Nurture Store 

Pretend Play

Chinese New Year Flower Market from Fortune Cookie Mom

Chinese Restaurant Pretend Play from Fortune Cookie Mom

China Tuff Tray from Learning and Exploring through Play

Dragon Small World: Messy Play from Nurture Store

Dramatic Play Chinese Restaurant Theme from Pre-K Pages

Chinese Restaurant Role-Play Pack from Sparkle Box

Others

Chinese New Year Theme Learning Shelf & Activity from Happy Tot Shelf

Chinese New Year’s Music

A Chinese Gong for Chinese New Year from Kid World Citizen

Free Chinese New Year Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time from Living Montessori Now

Chinese New Year Noise Makers from Activities for Kids

Chinese Tambourine from Activities for Kids

How to Make Chinese Rattle Drums to Celebrate the New Year from Artsy Momma

Chinese New Year Drum Craft for Kids from Gift of Curiosity

Cultural & Traditional Activities

Learn Chinese While Making Homemade Fortune Cookies with Kids from Fortune Cookie Mom

How to Make Sweet Rice Dumplings for Chinese Lantern Festival from Fortune Cookie Mom

Chinese Lantern Festival Riddles from Miss Panada Chinese

 Crafts for the 12 Zodiac Animals

Chinese New Year for Kids – Paper Snake from Red Ted Art

Origami Mice – Paper Mouse Craft for Year of the Rat from Red Ted Art

Rabbit Craft from Nurture Store

Junk Model Snake from Nurture Store

Tiger Finger Puppet for Chinese New Year from Nurture Store

Shape Animals: Free Printable Dog Craft Shape Activity from Nurture Store

Free Printable Pig Play Dough Mat from Nurture Store

12 Zodiac Animal Coloring Pages from Kiddy Charts

Chinese Zodiac Crafts for Kids from Activities for Kids(Tweet only)

Chinese New Year Paper Cutting For Kids – Year of the Horse from Craftiments

 Chinese New Year Painting

Chinese New Year Dragon Art for Toddlers from Learning and Exploring through Play

Spring Blossom Tree Craft from Nurture Store

Chinese New Year Thumbprint Craft from Lesson Plans

Potato Stamped Pandas from I Heart Arts N Crafts

Fireworks Art for Kids from Kids Activities Blog

 Chinese New Year’s Printable

Chinese New Year Interactive Notebook from Only Passionate Curiosity

Chinese New Year Activity: Learn the Chinese Zodiac! from Squirrels of a Feather

Chinese New Year Printables Pack from Gift of Curiosity

Chinese New Year Do-a-Dot Printables from Gift of Curiosity

Chinese New Year Bingo Game from Gift of Curiosity

Chinese Zodiac Wheel – Free Interactive Printable in Chinese and English! Chalk Academy

Chinese New Year Red Envelope Math Activity and Free Printable for Kids from A Little Pinch of Perfect

Classic Coloring Pages Chinese New Year from Miss Panda Chinese

Chinese Zodiac Free Printable Activities from Wise Owl Factory

Chinese New Year I Spy Game from Simple Fun for Kids

Chinese New Year for Kids with a Lesson Plan & Worksheets from Woo! Jr

Free Chinese New Year Printable Packs from Royal Baloo

Fun China Facts for Kids from Itsy Bitsy Fun

 More Resources for Teaching about Chinese New Year

130 Most Popular Greetings, Blessings & Wishes for Chinese New Year from Bilingual Kidspot (from me)

The Best Chinese New Year Traditions and Activities to Do with Your Kids from Fortune Cookie Mom

Chinese New Year Yoga from Kids Yoga Stories

Chinese New Year for Kids: Books and Yoga Poses for Kids from Kids Yoga Stories

A Lesson Plan for Chinese New Year W/Props and Stories from Kid World Citizen

Chinese Dragons Explained from Kids World Citizen

Tradition, Taboos, and Celebration from Miss Panda Chinese

What NOT to Do Over Chinese New Year from Bicultural Mama

Preparing for Chinese New Year from Multicultural Kid Blogs

Free Chinese New Year Printables For Kids And Easy Chinese Recipes from Happy & Blessed Home

The China Pavilion and your Homeschool from Homeschool Disney

Which activities did you try already? How did you like it?

What other Chinese New Year activities would you like to see?

You Might be Interested

Chinese New Year Blog Post

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