Help children learn about Chinese culture and customs through crafts. There are several Chinese craft ideas available on the Internet, many of which play on the color red, which symbolizes good luck for the Chinese. There are also crafts that focus on themes from Chinese holidays, such as Chinese New Year.
Chinese Firecracker
The Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year with firecrackers. Make a bundle of firecrackers by painting tubes from toilet paper rolls red. Use gold paint to create decorations on the firecracker. Many Chinese firecrackers are decorated with drawings of the animal of the year, blossoms and simple text greetings. Loop the tubes together with string and hang it up for decoration to celebrate Chinese New Year.
Lucky Red Envelopes
The Chinese hand out lucky red envelopes filled with money during Chinese New Year to children and adults who are not married. Lucky red envelopes might also be handed out during a birthday and at weddings and other special occasions. Create lucky red envelopes using red construction paper. Use gold paint to draw designs on the front of the envelope such as fish, oranges and flowers, or write a greeting.
Paper Fan
Create a Chinese New Year paper fan out of red construction paper. Use gold paint to decorate it with drawings. Fold the paper like an accordion when the paint has dried. Fold the accordion in half. At the fold, tie a rubber band to hold the fan shape in place. Use the fan to cool off during warmer weather or hang it up on the wall to display as art.
Chinese Kite
Create a set of kites to represent the Chinese zodiac symbols. Each kite might feature one of the zodiac symbols, which include the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Cut the shape of a kite out of construction paper and decorate the kite with paint drawings of the different zodiac animals. At the bottom of the kite, glue four strands of ribbon. Punch a hole at the bottom of the kite to attach the kite string.
