Chinese New Year Activity Ideas
Chinese New Year comes and goes each year but this year I actually wanted to learn more about it and help to educate my students about this important celebration and time of the year for Asian people. It has been fun and my class have really been enjoying it.
I especially love when the students see or hear something at home about it and then can’t wait to tell me all about it the next day in class. This is the sort of teaching that I love.
Chinese New Year is celebrated on a different day each year. In 2022 if begins on the 1st of February, lasting for sixteen days and concludes with the Lantern Festival. For the first seven days, just about everything closes down so everyone can celebrate.
People mainly wear red, which represents happiness and good fortune. Red pocket envelopes are filled with money and given to children, wishing them luck.
This year on the Lunar calendar we celebrate The Year Of The Tiger who is thought to be brave, pioneering and playful.
If you too would like to incorporate Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year as it is also known, then try these activities;
Watch this online to introduce your students to Chinese New Year
Read books to your class such as The Last Tiger by Petr Horacek or Chinese New Year Colors by Rich Lo
Have the class write about something they would like to brave for and try this year - when you are brave it means you do something even though you are scared. This takes courage
Watch this Masha and the Bear episode with your younger infant classes for fun
Make lanterns to decorate the classroom
Watch this video on the Lantern Festival with your upper primary students
Create a dragon puppet as an important symbol of Chinese New Year
Also check out my Pinterest Chinese New Year board for many more activities, crafts and printables to use in your classroom.
Does Chinese New Year get a mention in your class? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.
