Chinese New Year Activities for Preschool

3 min read

Last updated

Tamar Andrews

Tamar Andrews

3 min read

Last updated

Happy Chinese New Year! This special holiday is a time for family, friends, and celebration. If you are looking for fun activities to do with your preschoolers, here are 10 ideas to get you started.

From making red envelopes to learning about the zodiac animals, these activities will help introduce your little ones to the traditions and culture of Chinese New Year.

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Make red envelopes (hong bao) — This is a fun activity for preschoolers to make their own red envelopes, which are traditionally used to give money as gifts during Chinese New Year. You can use red construction paper and glue to create the envelopes.

Create a Chinese New Year calendar — Preschoolers can have fun making their own Chinese New Year calendar by drawing pictures of the zodiac animals and writing the corresponding dates.

Practice writing Chinese characters — Help preschoolers learn how to write simple Chinese characters, such as the characters for "happy" and "good luck," using a brush and ink.

Play with Chinese New Year toys — There are many fun toys associated with Chinese New Year, such as dragon puppets and bamboo flutes. Preschoolers can enjoy playing with these toys and learning about their significance.

Make a Chinese New Year banner — Use red and gold paper to create a banner that says "Happy New Year" in Chinese. Preschoolers can help decorate the banner with glitter and stickers.

Have a Chinese New Year feast — Preschoolers can help prepare a simple Chinese New Year feast by making dumplings or other traditional dishes. This is a great opportunity to talk about the different foods and their meanings.

Image Source

Learn about the zodiac animals — Chinese New Year is associated with the 12 zodiac animals, so preschoolers can learn about these animals and their characteristics. You can use books, pictures, or even a stuffed animal collection to teach about the zodiac.

Do some Chinese New Year crafts — Preschoolers can have fun making crafts related to Chinese New Year, such as paper lanterns, fans, or firecrackers.

Listen to Chinese music — Play some traditional Chinese music for preschoolers and let them listen and dance along. This is a great way to introduce them to the sounds and rhythms of Chinese culture.

Tell Chinese New Year stories — Preschoolers love hearing stories, so you can tell them some traditional Chinese New Year tales, such as the story of the zodiac animals or the legend of the monster Nian. This is a great way to introduce them to Chinese folklore and culture.

Image Source

There are many fun and educational activities that preschoolers can enjoy during Chinese New Year.

These activities can help them learn about the traditions and customs of this important holiday, and can also provide a fun and engaging way for them to celebrate with their families.

By participating in these activities, preschoolers can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture, and can develop a lifelong love for this fascinating and vibrant holiday.

Happy Chinese New Year! This special holiday is a time for family, friends, and celebration. If you are looking for fun activities to do with your preschoolers, here are 10 ideas to get you started.

From making red envelopes to learning about the zodiac animals, these activities will help introduce your little ones to the traditions and culture of Chinese New Year.

Image Source

Make red envelopes (hong bao) — This is a fun activity for preschoolers to make their own red envelopes, which are traditionally used to give money as gifts during Chinese New Year. You can use red construction paper and glue to create the envelopes.

Create a Chinese New Year calendar — Preschoolers can have fun making their own Chinese New Year calendar by drawing pictures of the zodiac animals and writing the corresponding dates.

Practice writing Chinese characters — Help preschoolers learn how to write simple Chinese characters, such as the characters for "happy" and "good luck," using a brush and ink.

Play with Chinese New Year toys — There are many fun toys associated with Chinese New Year, such as dragon puppets and bamboo flutes. Preschoolers can enjoy playing with these toys and learning about their significance.

Make a Chinese New Year banner — Use red and gold paper to create a banner that says "Happy New Year" in Chinese. Preschoolers can help decorate the banner with glitter and stickers.

Have a Chinese New Year feast — Preschoolers can help prepare a simple Chinese New Year feast by making dumplings or other traditional dishes. This is a great opportunity to talk about the different foods and their meanings.

Image Source

Learn about the zodiac animals — Chinese New Year is associated with the 12 zodiac animals, so preschoolers can learn about these animals and their characteristics. You can use books, pictures, or even a stuffed animal collection to teach about the zodiac.

Do some Chinese New Year crafts — Preschoolers can have fun making crafts related to Chinese New Year, such as paper lanterns, fans, or firecrackers.

Listen to Chinese music — Play some traditional Chinese music for preschoolers and let them listen and dance along. This is a great way to introduce them to the sounds and rhythms of Chinese culture.

Tell Chinese New Year stories — Preschoolers love hearing stories, so you can tell them some traditional Chinese New Year tales, such as the story of the zodiac animals or the legend of the monster Nian. This is a great way to introduce them to Chinese folklore and culture.

Image Source

There are many fun and educational activities that preschoolers can enjoy during Chinese New Year.

These activities can help them learn about the traditions and customs of this important holiday, and can also provide a fun and engaging way for them to celebrate with their families.

By participating in these activities, preschoolers can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture, and can develop a lifelong love for this fascinating and vibrant holiday.





Tamar Andrews

Director of ECE @ American Jewish University

Tamar Andrews, EdD, is an Associate Professor at UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and Director of the Early Childhood Education Department at American Jewish University. With 30+ years in early childhood as a teacher and director, she led Temple Isaiah Preschool from 2003 to 2023, where she earned NAEYC accreditation and built an award-winning STEM program. Her work inspired her son Daniel to build Playground. She also teaches at UCLA Extension and Santa Monica College and speaks internationally on early childhood education.

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The Weston School

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