Teach children how they live in other countries and what are the traditions in other parts of the world, it is a great way to get to know other cultures. In this way, children discover that there is much more than what they know. Most children discover that the world lives in many different ways when they reach a certain age.
One of the most different cultures is the Eastern one, which is currently about to celebrate the Chinese New Year. These holidays can be compared to our end of the year, but in a much more spectacular way. Full of ceremonies and mystical traditions that surround everything Asian. Therefore, what better occasion than this to teach children a little bit of the world and asian culture, even through some crafts.
Chinese New Year, a festival full of symbols
The Chinese New Year has been celebrated for more than four thousand years. Its origin dates back to the celebrations of the end of the winter season, welcoming spring. For this reason, this ancestral celebration It is also known as the Spring Festival China. For the Chinese, this is the most important festival of the year and they enjoy it for several days.
Each year begins and ends on different days, because the Chinese do not follow the solar calendar. But they do it for the lunar calendar, therefore, this year the Chinese New Year starts today on January 25 and ends 15 days later, with a beautiful lantern festival. During these days, families get together to enjoy their traditions, full of color, joy and fun.
Lanterns, dragons or fireworks are some of the elements that are used during these days of celebration of the Chinese New Year. So, you can recreate them through crafts with children so that they know and enjoy somehow from this distant tradition. Here are some ideas for crafts to do with children.
Crafts for Chinese New Year
Red dragons and lanterns are some of the elements essential for these parties. People decorate their houses with these motifs and children prepare their ornaments to decorate their house. Something similar to what we do in other parts of the world with Christmas decorations. These are some craft ideas that you can do very easily with children.
Decorative lanterns
In China, red and gold lanterns are everywhere these days, decorating the entrances of houses, parks, streets and the interior of homes. In addition, they can be made very easily with materials that you probably have at home. You can use white folios and then paint them with red and gold paint or get yourself with sheets and cards of these colors.
These are the materials you need:
- Color sheets red and gold
- Un pencil
- A ruler
- Glue in bar
- Scissors
The steps to create the lantern:
- Fold the red sheet in half. Lay horizontally and draw a line of about 4 centimeters on the top edge.
- With the ruler, draw lines of about 2 or 3 centimeters all over the sheet and cuts without exceeding the previously drawn margin.
- Roll the sheet of gold paper around itself and join the sides with glue stick.
- Now, take the red sheet and place on the roll of gold-colored paper, glue with glue and go pasting all the edges of the top.
- Also join at the bottom edge and stick well with the glue.
You can make as many lanterns as you want, in different sizes and even in different colors to suit the tastes of your children. Making crafts is the most fun way to teach children about traditions and the way of life of other cultures. Enjoy family time with these types of activities full of learning and fun.