Lunar New Year Crafts, Recipe, and Book

Sunday January 2023 is the start of the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Rabbit. Here are some fun and simple projects to do with the children in your care for Lunar New Year.

Paper Lanterns:

The Lantern Festival is held on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year holiday. It marks the last day of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. The kiddos I care for love making paper lanterns to decorate their bedrooms or playrooms. Click here to see how to make paper lanterns.

Be sure to read the book “Playing With Lanterns” by by Helen Yang and Zhu Chenglian before making paper lanterns. . In “Playing with Lanterns” by Helen Yang and Zhu Chenglian, a girl named Zhao Di receives her lantern and runs outside to play with friends. Click here to see the book review.

“The Dancing Dragon” by Marcia K. Vaughan:

“The Dancing Dragon” by Marcia K. Vaughan is a great book to share with your Nanny Kids for Chinese New Year. It is a rhyming tale in which the story literally unfolds — in an accordion style the entire book unfolds to become a long, colorful dragon like the one on the Chinese New Year parade. See the entire book review and purchase your own copy by clicking here.

Mandarin Muffins:

To the Chinese, oranges and tangerines represent wealth, luck, and abundant happiness. Due to the bright orange color, mandarin oranges are used in the ceremony to symbolize the sun and to represent the fresh start of a new year. See the recipe by tapping here.

Paper Fan:

In ancient China, fans came in various shapes and forms and were made of different materials such as silk, jade, bamboo, and even feathers. The original Chinese fan, the tuánshàn is said to have been modeled after the full moon, and signifies union and happiness. For over 3,000 years fans have been used as fashion statements, art displays, and a way to keep cool or provide shade. Fans are also viewed as good luck charms and expressions of generosity.

You Will Need:

Piece of paper
Two jumbo craft sticks
White glue
Sticky tape
Colored pens

What to Do:

1. Have the children decorate the paper with butterflies, flowers, cherry blossoms, or calligraphy with colored pens.
2. Then, pleat the paper back and forth into equal folds.
3. Glue a Popsicle stick onto each end of the paper. The craft sticks should stick out above the top of the paper.
4. Once dry the children can pull the craft sticks together and tape them in place to make the fan.