Chinese New Year sensory play activities

Here’s a great collection of Chinese New Year sensory play activities.

Chinese New Year sensory play activities

Try these suggestions for sensory play for Chinese New Year to give your children hands-on play experience of the sights, smells and feel of this festival.

In this article you can:

:: find ideas for Chinese New Year sensory / messy play activities

:: get a recipe for Chinese New Year play dough

:: see ideas for Chinese New Year inspired arts and crafts

This article is part of our Chinese New Year activities for children.

Ready-made Chinese New Year lesson plans, all in one place

The best and easiest way to teach your children about Chinese New Year is with our ready-made Chinese New Year thematic unit. Join our Play Academy and download a ready-made Chinese new Year Unit.

This Unit includes lessons on Chinese New Year and how it is celebrated; the animals of the Chinese zodiac; Chinese dragons and how to make your own dragon puppet; how to make Chinese-style paper lanterns; math and literacy activities including playing lucky 8s, counting to ten in Chinese and play red envelope games; explore sensory painting and taking a mandarin sensory taste test.

In this Chinese New Year Unit you’ll also receive bonus printables including a Red Envelope mat for math activities and three-part colour-in Chinese Zodiac Animals matching cards.

If you are not yet a member of NurtureStore’s Play Academy, join us here to get this and over 50 more ready-made teaching units.

Easy sensory play activities for Chinese New Year

Children learn best through play and hands-on experiences. Being able to see, touch, smell and taste key items associated with a festival helps children engage with the celebration, develop their vocabulary and understand the event.

Enjoy these sensory play activities for Chinese New Year with your children.

Chinese New Year play dough
Enjoy some red and gold-themed sensory play inspired by Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year sensory painting
This Chinese New Year activity takes inspiration from the traditional colours of the festival for some sensory, process painting.

Sensory play Chinese New Year activity with mandarins
Invite your children to enjoy this sensory play activity for Chinese New Year to explore mandarin oranges and develop their fine motor skills.  

Chinese New Year red envelope printable math mat
Use this Chinese New Year red envelope printable math mat with play dough or gold coins for Chinese New Year counting, addition, and subtraction activities.  

Spring blossom tree craft
Here’s an idea for a spring blossom tree craft that uses natural materials for some sensory exploring and printing.

More Chinese New Year activities for children

See our full index of Chinese New Year activities for more ideas including how to make Chinese lanterns, a children’s guide to the Chinese zodiac animals, and sensory play activities for Chinese New Year.