DLTK's Crafts for Kids
China Crafts, Facts, and Activities for Kids

2021	Feb 12	Ox
2022	Feb 1	Tiger
2023	Jan 22	Rabbit
2024	Feb 10	Dragon

Chinese New Year is celebrated each year in late January or early February.

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind this website is meant for children, so I do generalize and simplify quite a bit!

China, a country in the continent of Asia, has some of the most amazing architectural wonders on earth (like the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City)! It is an interesting country for children to study for this reason.

image of the spectacular Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province, China.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Hunan Province, China
Photographed by @cattan2011; used with permission under C.C. BY 2.0

The Chinese calendar follows the moon and divides the years into groups of twelve. Each year is named for an animal. People born in that year are believed to share different traits.

The first of the twelve years is the Year of the Rat. This is followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.

Because the Chinese calendar is based on the lunar year, the date of Chinese New Year changes each year.

The official dialect (which means a particular form of language) of China is Mandarin, with more than 70% of the population speaking it. Many people in China also speak Yue (Cantonese) dialect, Xiang (Hunanese) dialect, Min dialect, Gan dialect, Wu dialect, and Kejia or Hakka dialect.

China is a country found in the Northern Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere of the globe.

China has the most international borders of any nation on earth, with 14 neighboring countries, as of 2021: Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, North Korea China is located in the China Sea, which is part of the western Pacific Ocean.
The topography of China has been divided into five physical “macro-regions” known as, Eastern China (split further into the Northeast plain, the North plain, and the Southern hills), Xinjiang-Mongolia, and the Tibetan Highlands.

Capital city:  Beijing (there are traditional four major historical capitals of China: Beijing, Nanjing, Luoyang, and Xi’an (Chang’an)
Language:  Mandarin
National Bird:  Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis)
National Animal:  Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
National Flower:  Plum Blossom (Prunus mei)
Currency:  Renminbi (RMB; and the Yuan is the unit of the Renminbi)

China Crafts:
	General China Crafts Chinese Pottery suitable for grade school children

	General China Crafts Chinese Outfits for your Favorite Friends/Animals great for preschoolers

	General China Crafts Flag medallions toddlers and up (Alternative ideas for making coasters or a mobile available on the page)

	General China Crafts Kung Fu Toilet Paper Roll Craft great for preschoolers

	General China Crafts Red and Gold Bracelets toddlers and up

	On-Line China Jigsaw Puzzles

	Chinese New Year Crafts 3D China Doll Paper Model suitable for older kids

	Chinese New Year Crafts Calendar (Zodiac) Wreath Use a paper plate as the base for this cute 12 character zodiac calendar toddlers and up

	Chinese New Year Crafts Crown or Hat (all the zodiac characters are available) kindergarten +

	Chinese New Year Crafts Dragon or Lion Dance Puppet suitable for grade school children

	Chinese New Year Crafts Dragon TP Roll Puppet

	Chinese New Year Crafts Paper Lantern (all the zodiac characters are available) suitable for grade school children

	Chinese New Year Crafts Paper Pinwheel (all the zodiac characters are available) kindergarten+

	Chinese New Year Crafts Quilt (all the zodiac characters are available) great for preschoolers

	Chinese New Year Crafts Wreath (all the zodiac characters are available) great for preschoolers

Neat Facts about China: Kites and toilet paper were invented in China! In China, the colour red symbolizes happiness! China is home to the world’s largest canal, the Grand Canal Hangzhou!
China Printables:
	Chinese New Year Coloring Pages and Posters

	Chinese New Year Tracer Pages

	China Printable Worksheets - All About China Crosswords - All About China Word Search

China has some of the most well-known architecture and landmarks on earth: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was China's first official national park, given its title in 1982. China's National Forest Park was then declared a UNSECO World Heritage site in 1992. Serves as a sanctuary for the critically endangered Chinese Giant Salamander. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is home to the world's highest and longest glass bridge, known as Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge. The "floating mountains" are one of the main sights to see; they are well-liked and -photographed! The Great Wall of China The Great Wall of China is equal to half the length of the equator (the wall spans 21,196.18 km)! The Great Wall of China is approximately 2,700 years old! More than 1 million people were recruited to build the Great Wall. It attracts 50 million visitors per year! The Temple of Heaven The Temple of Heave is the largest existing architecture for Heaven worship on earth (675 acres)! The Temple is four times the size of the Forbidden City. “Echo Wall,” a wall known for allowing voices to echo far distances, is the favourite attraction for children visiting the Temple. Terracotta Warriors The Terracotta Warriors are one of the most famous architectural finds on Earth! Every soldier is unique; no two are alike; and each has unique and realistic features. Experts estimate there are more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots, and 670 horses! As part of the complex, more than 700,000 laborers constructed a life-size terra cotta army and tomb. The Forbidden City The Forbidden City is the world’s largest imperial city. The City has been home to 24 Chinese emperors throughout history! Its is one of the world’s largest cultural museums. 40% of the Forbidden City is still forbidden to access.
China Activities:
	China Games and Puzzles: - Dominos - Memory Cards

	Chinese New Year Moon Cakes Easy Recipe (great recipe for the kids to help with, though not quite as fancy as the real moon cakes look)
Animals of China:
	Chinese Animal Crafts Alligator Coloring Pages Alligator Paper Craft Alligator Paper Mache Craft The Chinese Alligator is one of only two living species of alligator in the world.

	Chinese Animal Crafts Panda Activities for Kids Pandas are native to China's rainforests
Other China Links:
	Chinese New Year Zodiac Animals which are you and what does it mean!

Click here for chinese language directions for a few of our crafts.

Ideas from Viewers:

Here is an idea for Chinese New Year from Jo. Take a brown paper bag(large). Cut holes for eyes then decorate it with either markers, crayons or construction paper. Add streamers to the bottom and have a parade with your Chinese dragon.

Game: Catch the Dragon's Tail

Catch the Dragon's Tail is sort of like a team based form of tag..

The children split into two groups. Each group forms a line with their hands on the shoulders of the child in front of them.

The child at the front of each line is the dragon's head and the very last child is the dragon's tail. The goal is for the dragon's head (the child in front) to tag the dragon's tail (the child in back).

Whichever team catches the dragon's tail first, wins!

Neat Facts about China:

China has some of the most well-known architecture and landmarks on earth:

Ideas from Viewers:

Game: Catch the Dragon's Tail