If you want to celebrate the Chinese New Year with your kids, there are loads of ways to get them involved, from fun games to adorable crafts. Welcome to the Year of the Rabbit!
The Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year, is nearly here once again. On 22 January 2023 we'll be moving into the year of the Rabbit, which represents hope and long life (something we could all do with after the last few years!).
If you're wanting to celebrate the Lunar New Year with your kids, or just want to teach them about other cultures, we've put together some of the best ways to get involved, from making your own Chinese lanterns and dragons, to spreading some festive cheer with traditional lucky red envelopes, plus plenty of other activities, crafts, and tasty treats to enjoy.
30 Chinese New Year activities and crafts for kids 2023
1. Craft Chinese paper lanterns
You'll need: some thin red card or paper, scissors, a glitter glue pen (or PVA glue and glitter), a glue stick, a pen, and a ruler.
Draw equally spaced lines across the card, leaving a strip at one end without lines (this is where you glue it together). Fold the card in half lengthways, then cut through the lines. Use glitter glue pens to draw decorations between the cuts, then leave it to dry.
Use the glue stick on the strip on the side, then glue the two short ends together. If you want to put a light in, you can stand it on a table and put an LED candle inside, and if you want to hang a string of them you can cut strips of card and glue them to the top of the lanterns to create a loop across one end.
Thanks to: Blissful Domestication
2. Make some lucky red envelopes
Red envelopes are a central tradition of Chinese New Year celebrations. Normally given by parents and grandparents to children and teens (though also given to friends, relatives, and even employees), the colour red represents good luck and good wishes for the year ahead.
They normally contain money, though never an amount that has a 4 in it, as it sounds like the word for death in Mandarin. On the other hand, numbers with 8 in them are lucky! Though you could always pop in a sweet treat or a heartfelt message.
Take a look at these simple but fancy red envelopes from Danya Banya. They're a great way to get your craft on while spreading some good wishes to your family and friends.
3. Cook some Chinese dumplings
Dumplings are a traditional food for the Chinese New Year, as they represent wealth and long life. People eat them during the last hour of the year, and the first one of the new year, to bring luck and prosperity.
This recipe from BBC Bitesize is perfect for making with your kids, and it even tells you how to say various words in the recipe in Mandarin. You can make some delicious snacks, and all learn something together in the process!
4. Craft a Chinese dragon puppet
An adorable and interactive craft activity, this puppet is mostly made from things you'll probably have at home, like toilet rolls, an egg carton, and paper straws. You'll need some paint for the colours, and a ribbon to attach the pieces together. It's a fun and easy craft that your little ones can play with when it's all done!
Check out the step-by-step instructions at PinkStripeySocks.
5. Visit the Chinese New Year celebrations in London
The biggest Lunar New Year celebrations outside of Asia, there's always something fun to do or tasty to eat at this time of year in London. There are stages with performances in Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross and Shaftesbury Avenue, family-friendly activities in Leicester Square, and plenty of delicious treats and activities in Chinatown itself.
The dates have yet to be officially announced, so keep an eye on Visit London's website to find out when the fun will start. It's normally on or around the actual Chinese New Year though.
6. Make Chinese cheese lanterns
You'll need: Babybel cheeses, ornament tops with a loop for string, beaded strings, a low-temperature glue gun, a permanent marker, and a sharp knife.
These are pretty easy to make, and look cute when you string them up together. Just glue the ornament tops on the edge of the cheese, and the beaded strings on the opposite side, then either cut strips into the cheese or draw lines on with the marker.
Thanks to: Danya Banya
7. Cook some spring rolls
Another traditional Lunar New Year treat, spring rolls symbolise bars of gold and represent wealth and prosperity for the year to come. Whether or not they bring you luck, they'll at least be a yummy snack for you all to enjoy.
We've got a great recipe here for you to try making with the kids. Add a bit of Chinese New Year cheer to a cold January day!
8. Make some Chinese New Year slime
Your kids will have a lot of fun with this one! After all, who doesn't love playing with some goopy slime?
Try out our 5 different methods for making slime to find your favourite, and don't forget to add some red food colouring and golden biodegradable glitter to make it extra festive for the Chinese New Year.
9. Craft a paper plate Chinese dragon
Another simple and effective crafting activity, this lovely little dragon is easy to put together and looks great. The more red and gold decorations you put up, the better luck you'll have for the next year, so put your little helpers to work!
Kiddycharts has a great step-by-step guide with pictures, and you'll probably have most of the parts in your home already if you're a crafty bunch.
10. Make a pipe cleaner dragon
Chinese dragons represent good luck, strength and prosperity, all things that will probably come in handy next year! Encourage some of that good stuff to come your way by filling your home with these adorable little pipe cleaner dragons.
Take a look at the easy-to-follow instructions from Blissful Domestication.
11. Learn to play Mahjong
If you've got four players and some time to learn the rules, you might enjoy getting your heads around this well-known Chinese game. It's essentially a mixture between dominoes and rummy (though you don't have to gamble to play).
It's not really suitable for young children, but older kids will probably have a blast. Plus you can keep playing whenever you have a game night, so it's not just fun for the New Year.
You'll need to pick up a set of tiles and then head over to WikiHow for a simple guide on how to play the game.
Of course, younger kids can still have fun with the set by just trying to match up the pictures!
12. Make some Chinese lantern jars
A different take on the Chinese lantern, this simple and fun craft is a great way to reuse your old baby food jars and is perfect for younger kids.
You'll need: empty baby food jars, Mod Podge or PVA glue, red tissue paper, scissors, a paintbrush, and gold glitter glue.
1. Cut the red tissue paper into small squares.
2. Turn the jar upside down, and coat the inside with Mod Podge or glue.
3. Stick the red squares onto the Mod Podge or glue, then coat them with another layer and leave it to dry.
4. Write Chinese characters on the outside of the jars with glitter glue. You could use the symbol for Rabbit to fit the year we're going in to, or you could use something traditional like the symbol for luck. You'll find other symbols with a quick Google search.
Thanks to: Artsy Momma
Note: with all that paper on the inside of the jars, they'll be pretty flammable! So if you want them to light up, use an LED candle, rather than a real one.
13. Do some dragon face painting
While you're busy decorating, why not decorate yourself and the kids? Add a bit of colour to yourselves as well as your home by painting your faces up as fearsome Chinese dragons!
Or, if the kids prefer, cute bunnies would also be perfect for the Year of the Rabbit!
14.Make Chinese Lantern suncatchers
Another fun crafting activity that will add a splash of good luck to your Spring Festival, this suncatcher looks great in front of a window where it can catch the light.
Head over to The Gingerbread House to follow their handy guide on how to make these lovely decorations.
15. Learn how to say Happy New Year in Chinese
There are quite a few different traditional New Year greetings among Chinese speakers, and then you can double them because there are two main languages in China: Mandarin and Cantonese.
If you feel like expanding your brains a bit, you can try learning some of these greetings with your kids. Then you can show off when you meet other people who know it's the Chinese New Year!
Check out this page from China Highlights to learn all the different greetings in both languages.
16. Craft a paper plate Chinese dragon puppet
More dragons! More puppets! More variety! Your little ones will have a great time making it dance, and it's just as easy to make as the last one. More dragons means more luck!
Take a look at the instructions from Messy Little Monster, and add to your stable of Chinese dragons for your kids to play with.
17. Make cupcake liner dragons
If you like a bit of baking, you'll probably have the main part of this crafty art project already. By now you've probably picked up on dragons being a big part of Chinese New Year, so add to your colourful decorations with this lovely little craft from iHeartCraftyThings.
18. Craft Chinese New Year drums
Noise and the colour red are the ways to scare off the dragon Nian, who according to Chinese mythology used to eat humans at the New Year. You can keep your family safe from this scary beast, and enjoy some fun crafting at the same time.
Check out the step-by-step guide from Gift Of Curiosity to find out how to make these fetching rattlers.
19. Do some colouring
Time to break out the crayons and felt tips! Set your little ones down with some free printable Chinese New Year colouring pages from Miss Panda Chinese, and these lovely printable Chinese Zodiac animals from Kiddy Charts.
20. Host a Reunion Dinner
The most important tradition of the Chinese New Year is the Reunion Dinner, where families come together to eat symbolically lucky foods. If you're not fed up with your relatives after the Christmas holidays, or didn't manage to see them, this is the perfect excuse to get together.
If dumplings and spring rolls aren't enough for you, then you'll be sure to find a delicious new recipe to tickle your taste buds this Spring Festival. Take a peek at our collection of Chinese New Year recipes, and cook up a feast with the kids!
21. Craft a Chinese egg carton dragon
Another adorable dragon craft for your kids to get stuck into, and a way for you to upcycle any leftover egg cartons you have kicking about the kitchen. Follow the excellent instructions on how to make them over at Caring Creatives.
22. Colour in and make Chinese lanterns at the same time!
You get double the fun with this clever crafting activity, as your small people can colour in their favourite Chinese zodiac animals, and then turn them into sweet little lanterns for you to hang up. Get the free printables and instructions on how to put them together at Totschooling.
23. Paint your own Chinese dragons
A perfect chance to get creative and a little messy at the same time by doing some festive Spring Festival fingerpainting. Learning and Exploring Through Play have a handy guide on how to get the best out of your dragon painting.
24. Craft some Chinese paper fans
Lovely, simple and pretty, these little paper fans from Chalk Academy are a gorgeous Chinese New Year decoration that you can make with the kids. Plus they're a perfect chance to practice your Chinese writing if you've learned how to do it!
25. Make a movable Chinese paper plate dragon decoration
If Chinese New Year has taught you nothing else, it must be that paper plates are incredibly versatile! This clever craft from Crafts On Sea is another enjoyable way to get the kids interested in the Spring Festival. They've even got printable dragon heads if you don't trust your own drawing skills.
26. Craft a Chinese New Year rattle drum
Another brilliant Chinese New Year drum design, this time upcycling an old Pringles can and a wooden spoon. Get the details on how to make it over at Blissful Domestication.
27. Make a Rabbit mask
Celebrate the coming Year of the Rabbit by making this adorable bunny mask with your little ones. This handy guide from Planning Playtime will show you exactly how it's done and what you'll need.
28. Craft an egg box Chinese dragon hand puppet
An alternative take on the Chinese dragon puppet. This one is sure to be a hit with younger kids, as you can get up close and have some fun chomping away! Messy Little Monster has all the details on how to make this brilliant upcycled hand puppet.
29. Make some simple DIY red envelopes
An even easier version of the lucky red envelope from Thrifty Jinxy, which comes with a handy printable template to make life even more simple. Print it out, cut it out, and spread some luck and prosperity with the help of your kids.
30. Craft some bunny finger puppets
Ignore the fact they were designed for Easter! These absolutely adorable bunny finger puppets are a perfect crafting activity for the Year of the Rabbit! Head over to iHeartCraftyThings to follow the simple instructions on how to make them.
If you're looking for more to do around the Chinese New Year, or want to find out more about this fascinating celebration, check out the stories below. And if you've got any questions to ask or ideas to share, pop on over to our Forum.