Lunar New Year Activities for Kids
Lanterns, red envelopes, zodiac animals and family traditions: learning about Lunar New Year through crafts and stories.
January 28, 2026 · 4 min read
Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, is one of the biggest celebrations in the world. It's celebrated in China and across many East and Southeast Asian communities, including Vietnam (Tết) and Korea (Seollal), as well as by families everywhere. These activities help children learn about the festival's traditions through crafts, stories, food and games.
When is Lunar New Year?
Lunar New Year follows the lunar calendar, so the date changes every year. It falls between late January and mid-February. Celebrations traditionally last around 15 days and end with the Lantern Festival.
Key traditions to share with kids
- Red everywhere. Red is a lucky color, said to bring good fortune and scare away bad luck.
- Red envelopes. Elders give children red envelopes (hóngbāo in Mandarin, lì xì in Vietnamese) with money inside for good luck.
- Cleaning the house before the new year to sweep away bad luck, but not on New Year's Day itself, so you don't sweep away the good luck.
- Family reunion dinner on New Year's Eve with special foods such as dumplings, fish and noodles.
- Lion and dragon dances with drums and cymbals.
- Lanterns and fireworks.
The zodiac animals
Each year is linked to one of twelve animals in a repeating cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The story of the Great Race explains the order: the animals raced across a river, and the order they finished became the order of the years. Children love finding out which animal matches the year they were born.
Activity: draw or color your family members' zodiac animals and make a family zodiac chart.
Crafts
- Red envelopes. Color and fold our red envelope pages. Put a kind note or a drawing inside.
- Paper lanterns. Fold a sheet of red paper in half lengthways, cut slits from the fold towards the edge (stop before the edge), unfold, roll into a tube and add a handle.
- Dragon puppet. Decorate a paper plate dragon head and attach a long accordion-folded paper body.
- Lion dance mask. Decorate a paper bag or paper plate with bright colors, big eyes and a fringe.
- Paper fan. Accordion-fold a decorated sheet of paper and tape the bottom together.
- Cherry blossom painting. Blow brown paint through a straw to make branches, then dab pink fingerprints for blossoms.
- Coloring. Our Lunar New Year coloring pages include lanterns, red envelopes and festive designs.
Food activities
- Make dumplings. Folding dumplings together is a lovely family activity. Children can help fill and pinch.
- Mandarin oranges. Oranges and tangerines are shared because they're thought to bring luck and good fortune.
- Noodles. Long noodles represent long life.
- Tasting party. Try different festive foods and talk about what they mean.
Games and learning
- Zodiac sorting. Put the twelve animals in the order of the Great Race.
- Counting red envelopes. Practise counting and adding play money. Try money worksheets for older children.
- Lantern patterns. Decorate paper lanterns with repeating patterns.
- Map activity. Find countries that celebrate Lunar New Year on a map.
- Dragon dance parade. Make a long dragon from a sheet and parade around the room with drums from pots and pans.
- Storytelling. Retell the story of the Great Race or the legend of Nian, a monster scared away by loud noises and the color red.
Ideas by age
Ages 3–5: coloring red envelopes, simple lanterns, dragon parades and tasting oranges.
Ages 6–8: zodiac charts, dragon puppets, folding dumplings and the Great Race story.
Ages 9–11: researching traditions in different countries, writing about family celebrations and learning a few greetings, such as "Xīnnián kuàilè" (Happy New Year in Mandarin).
Celebrating respectfully
If your family doesn't celebrate Lunar New Year, approach it as learning about a friend's or neighbour's culture. Read books by authors who celebrate it, listen to families who share their traditions, and focus on what the festival means to the people who celebrate it.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Calling it only "Chinese New Year." Many cultures celebrate the lunar new year.
- Treating traditions as costumes. Focus on meaning and respect.
- Forgetting the story. The legends make the traditions come alive for children.
Frequently asked questions
Why is red important at Lunar New Year?
Red is a lucky color and, according to legend, it scared away the monster Nian.
What goes in a red envelope?
Traditionally money, given by elders to children for good luck. For a craft, children can put in kind notes or drawings.
What are the zodiac animals?
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
A Lunar New Year activity plan
- Day 1: learn about the festival and the Great Race.
- Day 2: clean and decorate the house with red paper.
- Day 3: make lanterns and red envelopes.
- Day 4: fold dumplings together.
- Day 5: a dragon parade with drums from pots and pans.
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