Chinese New Year Crafts for Toddlers | 2024 The Mommyhood Club

Do you know that the Chinese New Year is the biggest human migration that happens every year due to holidays? Nowadays, every big city in the world has a Chinatown, and many Chinese are scattered all over the world. This has made the celebration of Chinese New Year a common event in many corners of Earth.

This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure for more details.

Chinese New Year doesn’t have a fixed date. Every year, the date changes, the Lunisolar Chinese calendar determines which date of the year the Chinese New Year will fall on. But usually, it’s somewhere between the end of January to the first week of March. The holiday lasts for about 15-days.

During the celebration, people who celebrate this occasion decorate their houses, cook tasty dishes, pay respects to their ancestors, and spend time with their families and children. Today, Chinese New Year is popular and many schools are making an effort to celebrate this occasion to be more inclusive and showcase to young children how cultures are diverse.

These Chines New Year crafts for toddlers will help them be creative, challenge their thinking, learn about colors and shapes, and most importantly, you can talk about Chinese New Year and different cultures of the world.

Enjoy our list of the Best Chinese New Year Craft Ideas for Toddlers!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure for more details.

Decorating Fans for the Chinese New Year

This is an amazing craft to work on because once you and your child are done, you can actually use these fans as a decoration or to fan out for some wind on yourself when the summer’s too hot. You will be needing a few items including paper fans (plain white would be best), paint (red and gold), paintbrushes, and glitter.

You don’t actually have to help your toddler too much, you can show them how you will design your fan. But your kid can have full control with their own fan. When everything is done, let the fans dry, make sure it’s well spread out and not folded or else the sides will stick together.

Link: https://laughingkidslearn.com/decorating-fans-for-chinese-new-year

Paper Dragon Puppet Craft

Make this easy and colorful dragon puppet with your toddler. Dragons are a big part of the Chinese New Year Celebration, once you finish this craft, you and your toddler can make it dance just like how the life-size version of these are used.

You have to prepare a toilet paper roll, A4-sized paper (pink and blue or if you prefer a more traditional color – red and gold), a pencil, a ruler, scissors, googly eyes, tissue paper, glue, paper straw, hot glue, and clear tape.

Don’t let the number of materials put you off, this project should only take a few hours to make. Ensure that you will be the one handling the hot glue. Your toddler will be in charge of attaching the wiggly eyes and horn.

Link: https://www.craftsbyria.com/paper-dragon-puppet-craft/

Chinese Lantern Suncatcher

Suncatchers are amazing DIY, it’s so flexible that you can also make one with inspiration from a Chinese lantern. Your toddler will be part of this activity for the most part. I’m sure they will find this craft fun to make.

Gather your art material such as paper (white), black marker, scissors, cellophane wrap (red), craft glue, and contact paper. You have to first draw the lantern pattern and cut it properly. Next, cut the cellophane wrap into squares then put away the scissors.

You can then let your kid glue the cellophane carefully. When all is done, add a string and hang it by the window.

Link: https://the-gingerbread-house.co.uk/chinese-lantern-sun-catcher

Dragon Puppets

This version of dragon puppets for Chinese New Year is a little different. You have to prepare more materials like red paper, pens or crayons, tissue paper, popsicle sticks, glue scissors, a template, printing paper, and a printer.

You can actually print the template on colored paper, this will save you time from coloring the dragon template. However, if you have a lot of time to kill with your toddler, you can print on plain white and put them in charge of coloring the dragon.

Link: https://www.redtedart.com/chinese-new-year-craft-dragon-puppet-free-printable/

Chinese Rattle Drums

Rattle drums are common toys for children. Those are loud but they really lighten up a kid’s mood especially if they can make a meaningful sound instead of just random noise. This next craft features rattle drums that you will design to be used for the Chinese New Year celebration.

You need a bit more supplies, but this activity is still easy to work on. Make sure you have a Chinese drum kit, glue, washi tape (gold and/or red), markers (gold and/or red), glitter flue (gold and/or red), rolled jewels, and a printed Chinese New Year character symbols.

Link: https://artsymomma.com/diy-chinese-rattle-drums.html

Hanging Citrus Fruit Paper Craft

These hanging designs are actually very useful. You can first, use it as a Chinese New Year decoration, but after that, it can also fit into other occasions such as summer-themed birthday parties and even on Christmas holidays.

Making hanging citrus fruit paper crafts also doesn’t require too many materials. All you need are construction paper (orange, green, yellow), brown yarn or any craft string, a scissor, a stapler, and glue.

Adding the “leaf feature” will be the most challenging part. Regardless, this project should only take an hour or two to make. If you have glitters, sequins, or other craft materials, your toddler can surely add those to this design.

Link: https://buggyandbuddy.com/hanging-citrus-fruit-craft-based-book-orange-january/

Toilet Paper Tube Firecrackers

Firecrackers are not only popular during Chinese New Year, but it is also relevant to the Georgian calendar new year. The fact that this craft requires the toilet tube rolls to be covered in red, you can even use these as Christmas decorations – a perfect project to work on that can also be used a few times.

The activity is not complicated at all, your toddler will have so much fun time making these with you. The materials you must have are empty toilet rolls or craft tubes, glue, red paint, gold ribbon, a scissor, string, and silver ribbon.

Paint the toilet tubes with your child and let them dry. When you add the red ribbons, you can also use hot glue, but school glue will work just fine. Using safe glue also allows your toddler to be part of the activity extensively. When you finish, hang the firecrackers on your front door or by the windows.

Link: https://thiswestcoastmommy.com/chinese-new-year-craft-toilet-paper-tube-firecrackers/

Egg Carton Dragon

Don’t disregard your egg carton because you can reuse it and make a lovely craft with your toddler. Apart from the egg carton, you also need acrylic paint (red) metallic paint (gold), a paintbrush, yarn, yarn needle, glitter sticks, sequins, white cardstock, tissue paper (orange and yellow), wiggly eyes, black marker, a scissor, and a glue.

You should cut out the egg carton first, then your toddler can paint them. While you wait for it to dry, prepare the “fire” that will be added to the mouth of the dragon using tissue paper. The hardest part here is attaching the yarn. When it’s ready, your child can add as many sequins and glitter sticks as they want. Finally, they can glue the eyes and draw two cute little noses.

Link: https://iheartcraftythings.com/egg-carton-dragon-craft.html

Painting Fireworks with Toilet Rolls

Making these painting fireworks are super easy but will keep your toddlers amused and creative. All you need are paint (have at least 3 different colors), white paper, paper plates, empty toilet rolls, and scissors.

Spread out the tube rolls after you cut them. While you do this, have your toddler pour the paint on the individual paper plates. When ready, it’s time to dip the toilet tubes in the paint and create some fireworks. .

Link: https://www.learning4kids.net/2015/12/27/painting-fireworks/

Easy DIY Chinese Lanterns

Chinese lanterns are one of the most popular decorations in a Chinese home but are even more sought-after during the celebration of the Chinese New Year. These lanterns are quick to make, a toddler can definitely make them with only minimal help from you.

You first have to check if you have the materials you need which are red paper, gold paper, a pencil, a ruler, a scissor, and glue.

You must to all the cuttings, your kid can step up and glue the cut-out lantern. This craft can stand on its own, but you can make more since it will only take a few minutes to create a single lantern. Your and your child can then hang some of them.

Link: https://www.china-family-adventure.com/how-to-make-chinese-lanterns.html

Waving Chinese Lucky Cat Craft

We all have seen the waving Chinese lucky cat in stores. Well, today, you are making one with your toddler. You don’t need too many items, in fact, all you really need are cardstock (yellow, white, red, blue, pink, and green), black markers, a scissor, glue, and a printer to print the cat template.

Spend time cutting the pieces out of the template first and trace them on the cardstock paper. When ready, let your toddler put together the parts with your guidance. In the last part, assist them in drawing the eyes, nose, lips, whiskers, fingers, and toes. You have to remember to do the trick to make one of the cat’s hands wave.

Link: https://kidscraftroom.com/waving-chinese-lucky-cat-craft/

Conclusion:

These Chinese New Year crafts for toddlers are easy to work on. They are colorful, fun, and charming to make. Getting your toddler exposed to different colors, shapes, and art in general will help them learn about these things. It will also encourage your child to be creative, imaginative, and learn about other cultural events.