Chinese New Year 2012 Crafts and Activities

Chinese Calendar 2012

Chinese New Year 2012 is a very important holiday in China. It is celebrated in late January to early February (depending on the year). Chinese New Year starts on a New Moon and ends with the lantern festival on the full moon 15 days later.

In 2012, Chinese New Year is celebrated on January 23. In the Chinese calendar, it is the year 4709, and the Year of the Dragon.

These crafts projects are for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school children. The crafts use materials found around the house, like cardboard, paper, boxes, string, crayons, paint, glue, etc. See a page about color mixing to see how to combine paint to make all the colors of the rainbow.

Click on any of the crafts to go to the instructions. Have fun!

CHINESE LANTERN

A simple lantern to make from paper.

TANGRAM PUZZLE

A traditional Chinese puzzle to make out of paper.

FIREWORKS CRAFT

Create your own fireworks by using dark construction paper, glue and different colors of glitter. Great for Chinese New Year.

DANCING DRAGON/LION TOY

Make a dancing paper lion or dragon toy for Chinese New Year.

PAPER BAG PUPPETS

An easy way to make a panda and other cute puppets.

Short Books to Print:

Chinese New Year A Printable Activity Book for Early Readers A short, printable activity book on the Chinese New Year for beginning readers, with pages on Chinese New Year, the Chinese Zodiac, lucky money envelopes, the dragon, and a map of China.	Chinese New Year Words Mini Book A Printable Writing Book A tiny, printable book about simple words related to Chinese New Year — for early readers and writers. The book has 2 pages to print and makes 8 pages for the student to cut out, color, and write in. The words are: dragon, China, moon, envelope, lantern, fireworks, and “Can you think of another Chinese New Year word?”	Chinese New Year A Printable Activity Book for Fluent Readers A short, printable activity book on the Chinese New Year for fluent readers, with pages on New Year traditions, the Chinese Zodiac, the phases of the moon, and a map of China.	Chinese Counting Book A Printable Activity Book for Early Readers A short, printable activity book on the Chinese numbers from 1 to 12.
Chinese Animals Printable Book for Early Readers A short, printable book about Chinese animal early readers. The book has pages on the Giant panda, red panda, leopard, tiger, yak, stork, sun bear, and golden monkey.	Panda A short, printable book about the giant panda. The book has pages for the student to cut out, read, and color. The pages are: Intro, Anatomy, Habitat, Diet, Teeth, Fur and Paws, Eyes, Reproduction, and Classification.	Sheng Chú/Livestock A short, printable book about farm animals in Chinese – for early readers. The book has pages for the student to cut out, read, and color, with animal names to write. The pages are: cow, pig, horse, sheep, chicken, goat, dog, rabbit, and duck.

Chinese New Year 2012 Activities:

Chinese Zodiac Word Wheel
Make a Chinese zodiac word wheel using this 2-page print-out; it consists of a base page together with a wheel that spins around. When you spin the wheel, the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac are displayed (the picture, name of the animal, and the years that it represents), one at a time: rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat/ram, monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat, ox, and tiger. The student then writes down the names of the 12 animals, beginning with the animal that represents the current year.

The Chinese Zodiac
A printout on the 12 animal signs of the Chinese zodiac and what years they represent. The student answers two questions about the Chinese zodiac.

Match Chinese Zodiac Words and Pictures

Match 10 Chinese Zodiac animal words to their pictures. The words are: monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat (ram). Or go to the answers.

Chinese New Year Grammar Potpourri Worksheet

Find synonyms, antonyms, anagrams, and homonyms, then capitalize, punctuate, and correct the spelling of sentences. Or go to the answers.

Zoom School China
Use a pictorial interface to get Information on China, including maps, flags, printouts, and a quiz.

All About China
Information on China, including maps, flags, crafts, printouts, etc.

Chinese Flag/Printout
You can learn about China’s flag, print it out, color it, and take a short quiz.

China’s Flag
Simple Printable
A blackline master (printout) of the flag of China.

China Map/Quiz Printout
You can print out a map of China, color it, and take a short quiz.

China: Follow the Instructions

Color China according to simple directions, such as, “Trace the Great Wall in red.” Or go to the answers.

Chinese Map Printout
A printable map of China.

CHINA FIND IT!

A quiz on China to use with the Little Explorers Picture Dictionary. To answer the quiz questions, use the online illustrated dictionary.

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

Read about this incredible structure.

Chinese Artists
Color Chinese paintings online or print copies and then color them.

Inventors and Inventions from China and Taiwan
Learn about some Chinese inventions from the compass to pulp-formed paper.

PHASES OF THE MOON

Learn about the phases of the moon. The Chinese calendar is based in part on these lunar phases.

Chinese Zodiac Animals Spelling Word Questions

Use the list of Chinese Zodiac animal spelling words to answer simple questions. Words: monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat. Or go to the answers.

Draw Four Chinese New Year Items

Draw four Chinese New Year items. Below each item, write its name.

Chinese New Year Spelling Word Questions

Use the list of Chinese New Year spelling words to answer simple questions. Words: China, Chinese, new, year, zodiac, dragon, red, envelope, phase. Or go to the answers.

Missing Letters in Chinese Zodiac Animals

Find the missing letters in Chinese Zodiac animal words, and then color the picture of the word. The words are ox, dog, pig, rat, goat, rooster, dragon, tiger, rabbit, horse, monkey, snake.

Unscramble Chinese Zodiac Animal Words

Unscramble the Chinese zodiac animal words, and then color the pictures of the words. The words are ox, dog, pig, rat, goat, rooster, dragon, tiger, rabbit, horse, monkey, snake.

Chinese New Year Wordsearch Puzzle

Find the words in the wordsearch puzzle, then use the extra letters to find the secret message. Secret Message: “Happy Chinese New Year to you.” Or go to the answers.

$Venn diagram$ Chinese Zodiac Animals Venn Diagram Printout

On this printout, the student classifies Chinese zodiac animals by placing them in Venn diagrams. Or go to the answers.

Chinese New Year Alphabet Code

Use the alphabet code to find the Chinese New Year message. Answer: “Chinese New Year starts on a new moon and lasts to the full moon.”

Chinese New Year:
Word Hunt Worksheet

How many words can you make using the letters from “Chinese New Year”? Sample answers: chin, wince, yen, … Go to worksheet with 30 blanks or a worksheet with 50 blanks.

Match the Syllables: Chinese New Year Words

Match two syllables to make 10 Chinese New Year words. The words are lantern, dragon, Chinese, lucky, fortune, tiger, happy, panda, golden, phases. Or go to the answers.

Put 10 Chinese New Year Words in Alphabetical Order – Worksheet

Put 10 Chinese New Year words in alphabetical order. The words are: Chinese, dragon, envelope, lantern, moon, new, phases, red, year, zodiac. Go to the answers.

Chinese Animals:

Panda Printout

Pandas are black and white bears from China.

Panda (Labeled)

Pandas are black and white bears from China.

Panda (Unlabeled)

Pandas are black and white bears from China.

Panda Book
A short, printable book about the giant panda. The book has pages for the student to cut out, read, and color. The pages are: Intro, Anatomy, Habitat, Diet, Teeth, Fur and Paws, Eyes, Reproduction, and Classification.