5 Crafts for the Chinese New Year

There were so many adorable and fun crafts for the Chinese New Year, it was impossible to pick only one to showcase this month. So, InCultureParent has put together an overview of some of the best crafts we found for the Chinese New Year. They range from very easy (fingerprint cherry blossoms) to medium-difficulty (dragon mask) and many can be made with materials from around the house (e.g., toilet paper roll, egg carton). The one thing we promise is that they are all really fun. Happy crafting and Happy New Year!

1. Fingerprint Cherry Blossom Trees

Kids get to actually put their fingers in the paint for this one so of course, they will love it. Simplistic and beautiful.

Materials for making Chinese New Year Craft:

• White paper
• Pink and brown paint
• Paintbrush

Instructions:

Please follow this link, also for great pictures of some kids in action:
http://www.crafty-crafted.com/fingerprint-art/fingerprint-cherry-blossoms/

2. Paper lanterns

An awesome house decoration. We don’t even celebrate the Asian New Year in our household but I would still love to decorate with these!

Materials:

• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Tape
• Stapler
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Glue, glitter, sequins, if desired to decorate your lantern

Instructions:

Please follow this link: http://crafts.kaboose.com/lantern1.html

And to take this craft to the next level, hang a bunch of lanterns on some colorful string for cool household decoration.

See here for a pic: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese_lantern_chain.htm

3. Egg Carton Dragon

I love how many things an egg carton can be used for. The kids will love watching this everyday household object transform into a magical dragon.

Materials:

• Paper egg carton
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Yellow and black craft paint
• Paintbrush
• Paint with daubers (or BINGO marking paints or craft paint and paintbrushes)
• 7mm wiggle eyes
• 1/4″ white pom-pom balls
• Red felt scrap
• Tacky glue
• 2 Jingle bells (1/2″)
• Ribbon (we used 1/4″ wide)

Instructions:

Please follow this link: http://crafts.kaboose.com/dragon.html

4. Orange from toilet papers

Another brilliant use for everyday household objects. I love the creativity!

Materials:

• Toilet paper roll
• Orange paint
• Paintbrush
• Glue
• Green paper or felt
• Paper plate or construction paper to mount the oranges

Instructions:

Please follow this link see an adorable little boy in action making them: http://www.crafty-crafted.com/recycle-craft-materials/toilet-paper-roll-orange/

5. Dragon mask

Kids will love not only making these but wearing them to play after is the greater joy.

Materials:

• 1 recycled aluminum pie tin or round aluminum “to go” container
• 1 empty cereal box
• Streamers (recycled from your last big birthday bash)
• 1 small paper cup, like the Dixie kind you use in the bathroom or to rinse and spit at the dentist’s
• Rhinestones- red for evil, glowing eyes, other colors for kinder, gentler dragons
• Green, black and red tempera paint and a paintbrush
• Yellow felt or construction paper: For evil-looking eye sockets
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks: kids and hot glue don’t mix, so make sure you do all the
• gluing
• Regular glue
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Ribbon
• Hole punch
• Tape
• Black marker
• Glitter

Instructions:

Please follow this link: http://www.parentsconnect.com/do/face_of_the_dragon.jhtml

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