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We have a large collection of Chinese New Year Crafts here, red envelopes, kites, goldfish, bowls of oranges... and so much more!
Oranges or tangerines are often taken to other families as gifts and displayed at Chinese New Year, as their Chinese names sound like the words for "gold" and "wealth". We used some colourful papers to create this stunning bowl of oranges collage.
Have a go at this papier mache Chinese bowl craft for kids, at Chinese New Year or any time. It's perfect for displaying oranges or gold chocolate coins!
A popular old-fashioned noise-making toy, the Chinese drum (rattle) is twisted in the hand so that the beads bounce of it and make a noise. With practise you can get a good rhythm going! Here's one the kids can make themselves..
It used to be traditional to set off very loud firecrackers at the beginning of Chinese New Year, to warn away the man-eating monster Nian and to welcome in the New Year. Your kids can make their own - less noisy - Chinese firecrackers with this Chinese New Year craft idea.
Chinese kites are a symbol of the New Year and we made ours appropriate by choosing red, a lucky colour, and painting Chinese dragons on them!
Knotting is a traditional Chinese craft. Knots are functional (used to fasten clothes, etc) but they are decorative too. Elaborate designs are often used as decorations at Chinese New Year.
The kids will have great fun making this super Chinese Lion Dance costume - and wearing it in their own Chinese New Year parade!
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With its concertina body, the kids can make this Chinese lion puppet dance up and down just like it's doing a real Lion Dance.
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At Chinese New Year children are given brand new, colourful clothes to wear, and red is regarded as an especially lucky colour. Your kids can have a go making this Chinese New Year bracelet as part of their own Chinese New Year celebration!
Get the kids to decorate the house with this cheerful Chinese New Year placemat, and have some fun weaving.
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Chinese Paper Cuts have been a traditional form of decoration in China at Chinese New Year and all year round for thousands of years. Why not have a go with the kids?
The art of Chinese paper cutting has been prized for many thousands of years. Paper cuts are used for decoration, given as gifts, and are regarded as lucky. Traditional paper cuts often showed celebrations, weddings and feasts, but now all sorts of motifs are used.
Here's a lovely idea for some Chinese New Year crafting - which is also useful! Children can work out the next animal of the Chinese Zodiac in advance, or check the signs of friends and family! And if you choose, you can get them involved in the maths of it all, too!
We didn't intend this goldfish kite craft to fly - but the kids will have fun putting it together and it looks spectacular in a Chinese New Year display!
Quick, easy and fun for little kids, this handprint goldfish nevertheless looks effective on display! Of course you could make a whole school of fish this way for an underwater scene, too.
At Chinese New Year it is traditional for parents and elders to give gifts of "lucky money" to children and unmarried adults. The money, which can vary from a small, new coin to a substantial sum, is always presented in a red envelope.
There is a very famous, ancient banyan tree in Lam Tsuen in Hong Kong to which people travel at Chinese New Year and during other festivals to leave their own special wishes.
Our paper plate goldfish is a quick and easy craft to do with younger children and a school of them makes a lovely display at any time of year - but they might be particularly appropriate for Chinese New Year or your China topic.
This super paper plate goldfish bowl looks great displayed on the noticeboard - or fridge! The 3D effect is particularly fun for kids.
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We have provided a simple template so that children can have a go at making a pig paper cut of their own. Stick with our simple version or embellish the body of the pig too. The pig will look lovely on display - perhaps in a window so that the light will shine through?
Chinese paper cuts are an ancient craft and tradition - and here at Activity Village is a tradition that we do one every year for Chinese New Year. Scroll down to find instructions and a template to produce 2 variations of this rat paper cut.
Simple sewing skills and a few moments are required to turn out this pretty fish brooch. We've used a bright orange ribbon to make a goldfish for Chinese New Year, but of course you could use any colour.
Make a pretty, glittery, sequin fish with us - it's quick and easy to do and oh-so-pretty on display!
You can adapt this craft for a range of ages.
With this tissue paper flowers craft idea, kids of all ages can produce a stunning bouquet of very pretty flowers quickly and easily!
