Here’s our guide to the best children’s books about Chinese New Year with ideas for activities to bring them to life for your children.
The best children’s books about Chinese New Year
See our pick of the best children’s books about Chinese New Year plus literacy activities to help your children learn about this festival.
This article is part of our Chinese New Year activities for children.
In this article you can:
:: find suggestions for the best books for kids about Chinese New Year
:: get activity ideas to accompany the books
:: find links to more Chinese New Year activities and crafts to enjoy with your 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.
What are the best children’s books about Chinese New Year
A great way to introduce any new topic to children is with a story. The following books offer a colourful, simple introduction to Chinese New Year.
Lanterns and Firecrackers: A Chinese New Year Story by Jonny Zucker and Jan Barger Cohen
My First Chinese New Year by Karen Katz
Dragon Dance: A Chinese New Year Ltf: A Chinese New Year Lift-The-Flap Book
Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin
How to use children’s books about Chinese New Year to teach your children about the festival
You can read the books before or after attending a Chinese New Year parade, to give your children context and vocabulary.
Read the same book(s) every day for several days to give your children time to become familiar with the festival, language and story.
It is a good idea to have props to show your children, as you read the story and introduce the key elements of a festival.
The props give your children something to hold and explore, making the ideas of the festival real and relevant to them, especially if they are learning about a festival for the first time, or from a country or culture that they are not familiar with.
You might have a circle time to look at the items, you can place them on a discovery table for your children to explore, or use them in a treasure basket.
Our article on how to celebrate the Chinese New Year with children gives a list of items you might like to include as props, which will show your children some of the sights, smells and tastes of the festival.
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.
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