Isn’t it wonderful that we get a second chance to celebrate the New Year just a month after January 1st? While the confetti from New Year’s Eve has long been swept away, another vibrant, culturally rich celebration is just around the corner. We are talking, of course, about Chinese New Year (also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival).
The Chinese base their New Year on the lunar calendar, which tracks the cycles of the moon. This holiday usually falls in late January or early February and signifies the end of the frozen winter and the welcoming of warmer spring weather. It is a time of family reunions, delicious feasts, and waves of red and gold.
But beyond the dumplings and the decorations, there is a fascinating history and deep symbolism behind this holiday. If you are looking for ways to engage your children or students in this global celebration, you have come to the right place. We have curated a list of ideas for 15 Colorful Chinese New Year Printables that cover everything from decorations to educational games.
The Legend of Nian: Why We Paint the Town Red
Before you start printing out activities, it is wonderful to share the “why” behind the holiday with your kids. The story of Chinese New Year is more than just a calendar change; it is an ancient legend of survival and cleverness.
According to folklore, there was once a terrifying beast named Nian (which sounds like the Chinese word for “year”). Nian lived deep in the sea or high in the mountains but would come down to the village on the eve of the new year to devour livestock, crops, and even children.
The villagers lived in fear until an old, wise man visited the village. While everyone else was fleeing to the mountains to hide, the old man stayed behind. He knew a secret: Nian was powerful, but he had weaknesses. The beast was terrified of three things: loud noises, bright lights, and the color red.
When Nian arrived, the old man set off firecrackers, banged loudly on drums, and covered the doors in bright red paper. The beast fled in terror! When the villagers returned the next morning to find their homes intact, they realized the secret to keeping the monster away.
This is why, to this day, Chinese New Year is a festival of red decorations (to scare the beast), firecrackers (to startle him), and drumming. It is a celebration of triumph and protection.
Understanding the Chinese Zodiac
Another key element of the Lunar New Year is the Chinese Zodiac. Unlike Western astrology, which changes monthly, the Chinese Zodiac changes annually. It features a cycle of 12 animals, each with its own personality traits and fortune.
The order of the animals is:
- Rat (Wisdom)
- Ox (Diligence)
- Tiger (Valor)
- Rabbit (Cautiousness)
- Dragon (Strength)
- Snake (Flexibility)
- Horse (Forging ahead)
- Goat (Unity)
- Monkey (Changeability)
- Rooster (Constancy)
- Dog (Fidelity)
- Pig (Amiability)
Children love finding out which animal represents their birth year! It makes the holiday personal and fun.
15 Magnificent Chinese New Year Printables
Ready to celebrate? These printable ideas are perfect for classrooms, homeschool lessons, or a rainy afternoon at home. They help build fine motor skills, cultural awareness, and artistic creativity.
1. The Interactive Zodiac Wheel
This is a fan favorite. A printable Zodiac wheel consists of two circles attached by a paper fastener (brad) in the center. The top circle has a “window” cut out. As kids spin the wheel, it reveals the animal and the years associated with it.
- Educational Value: Helps children understand the cyclical nature of the lunar calendar and identify their own sign and the signs of their family members.
2. DIY Red Envelopes (Hongbao) Templates
In Chinese culture, adults give red envelopes filled with money to children to pass on good fortune and blessings.
- The Activity: Print out templates of flat envelopes that kids can cut, fold, and glue.
- Creative Twist: Instead of real money, have kids write notes of kindness or “coupons” for chores (like “Good for one free hug” or “I will do the dishes”) to put inside and give to parents.
3. Articulated Paper Dragon Puppet
The Dragon Dance is the highlight of many street parades. Dragons represent power, strength, and good luck.
- The Craft: This printable features the dragon’s head, tail, and several body segments. Children color the segments, cut them out, and connect them using paper fasteners so the dragon can wiggle and move. Glue stick handles to the back for a fun puppet show!
4. “Nian” the Monster Masks
Bring the legend to life!
- The Activity: Printable masks depicting the scary (but colorful) Nian monster or the benevolent Lion used in dances.
- Play: After decorating with markers, sequins, and glitter, kids can act out the story of the old man scaring away the beast.
5. Chinese Lantern Cut-Outs
The festivities traditionally end with the Lantern Festival.
- The Craft: Print out rectangular sheets with traditional patterns (cherry blossoms, gold coins). Kids fold the paper in half, cut slits along the fold, and open it up to create the classic lantern shape.
- Decor: String these together to create a festive garland for the living room.
6. Lunar New Year Word Search
Perfect for quiet time or vocabulary building.
- The Challenge: A grid of letters hiding words like Dumpling, Firecracker, Red, Lantern, Fortune, Coin, Bamboo, and Spring.
- Educational Value: improves spelling and pattern recognition while introducing holiday-specific terminology.
7. Tangram Puzzle Challenge
Tangrams are ancient Chinese dissection puzzles consisting of seven flat shapes, called tans, which are put together to form shapes.
- The Printable: A sheet with the seven shapes to cut out, along with silhouette challenges (try to make a rabbit, a boat, or a person).
- Benefit: Excellent for teaching geometry, spatial awareness, and problem-solving.
8. I-Spy: Festival Edition
A great visual discrimination game for younger children.
- The Game: A cluttered page full of New Year items (oranges, fans, coins, dragons). The child has to count how many of each item they can find.
- Math Connection: “Find 5 dragons and 3 lanterns. How many items is that in total?”
9. Lucky Fortune Cookie Notes
While fortune cookies are more of an American-Chinese invention, they are still super fun!
- The Activity: Printable strips of paper with positive affirmations or blank spaces for kids to write their own fortunes.
- Paper Craft: You can make paper fortune cookies out of circles of construction paper and tuck these printable notes inside.
10. Cherry Blossom Finger Painting Tree
Cherry blossoms symbolize spring and renewal.
- The Printable: A bare tree branch outline.
- The Art: Kids dip their fingers in pink paint and stamp “blossoms” all over the branches. It’s messy, sensory fun that results in beautiful refrigerator art.
11. Chinese Character Tracing Sheets
Introduce children to the beauty of calligraphy.
- The Activity: Worksheets featuring simple characters like Fu (Good Luck), Chun (Spring), and the numbers 1-10.
- Skill: Shows children that writing can be an art form and introduces the concept of stroke order.
12. “Design Your Own Fan” Template
Round fans or folded fans have a long history in Asian art.
- The Craft: A semi-circle template that mimics a folded fan.
- Creativity: Encourage kids to draw scenes from nature—mountains, rivers, or birds—which are common themes in traditional Chinese paintings.
13. Chopstick Wrapper Origami
If you are having a celebratory meal, personalized table settings are a must.
- The Printable: patterned strips of paper with instructions on how to fold them into sleeves for chopsticks.
- Cultural Lesson: This is a great time to teach proper chopstick etiquette (like never sticking them upright in rice!).
14. Gold Coin Counting Mats
A math activity for preschoolers.
- The Printable: Numbered pots of gold or red bags.
- The Task: Children use plastic gold coins or yellow playdough balls to place the correct number of “coins” onto the corresponding mat.
15. Door Couplets (Chunlian)
It is traditional to paste red paper with black calligraphy on doors.
- The Activity: Long vertical red rectangles.
- The Art: Kids can practice writing “Happy New Year” or draw vertical designs of flowers and fireworks to tape to their bedroom door frames, inviting good luck in.
Conclusion: Bringing the Celebration Home
Celebrating Chinese New Year is a wonderful way to broaden a child’s worldview. It teaches them that while we may live in different places, the desire for health, happiness, and family togetherness is universal.
These 15 Chinese New Year printables offer a low-cost, high-engagement way to immerse your family in the festivities. Whether you are scared of the Nian monster or just excited to find out you were born in the Year of the Dragon, there is something here for everyone
