Chinese New Year is a very important holiday especially in China. It is celebrated in late January to early February (depending on the year). It is also called the Spring Festival because it marks the end of the winter and the beginning of the spring in the Chinese calendar. Chinese New Year starts on a New Moon and ends with the lantern festival on the full moon 15 days later.
There are many ways for quick and easy Chinese New Year crafts for kids. You may also use red packets to make Chinese New Year ornaments to hang in the house or at the Cherry Blossom tree.
First, we may start with making origami Goldfish using red packets. In Chinese culture, the goldfish means having an abundance of gold, so it’s great to make some to decorate your surroundings during this festive season to welcome in wealth, prosperity and Harmony. First, Draw a line in the middle across of the red packet, connecting the top left corner to the bottom right corner. Draw the tail and cut. Cut a small square as the mouth too. Then glue the tail together, you may staple it if you want. Use a needle to put a thread through a fin and hang it.
Next craft is another easy one too, a DIY paper lantern. Get an A4 paper, fold it into half to make a long rectangle shape. Draw a line across the top, the open end of the paper. Then cut strips up to that line from the bottom. Open it up and glue both ends together. Done. You may pop a jar or glass in the center and light a candle!
To make a Chinese New Year fan, prepare a wrapping paper, some gold thread and Red Packets. For the paper according to accordion style. Fold it in half and glue together. Tie a gold thread at the bottom of the fan.