Tech Savvy Mama: Teaching Kids About Chinese New Year: Year of the Dragon

Friday, January 20, 2012

Teaching Kids About Chinese New Year: Year of the Dragon

On Monday, January 23, my family will celebrate the start of Year of the Dragon. This year is a particularly important year because of the significance of the dragon to Chinese culture. The dragon characterizes ambition, dominance, success, and is the mightiest of all 12 of the creatures that comprise the Chinese Zodiac.

Around our home, we're getting ready for the start of the New Year. I’ll clean the house before Monday to sweep out the bad luck from the previous year and because it's customary to avoid cleaning for the first week avoid sweeping away the good luck that the New Year brings. On Monday, Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer will wake up and eagerly say "Gung Hay Fat Choy" (Happy New Year in Chinese) in order to receive the red li see envelopes from each parent that are filled with lucky money. Then they’ll head off to school wearing something new.

While ordering Chinese takeout or going out for Dim Sum (one of my family’s favorite ways to celebrate!) is perfectly fine, teach your children the significance of Chinese or Lunar New Year and the Year of the Dragon with any of these fun activities:

Li see envelopes are filled with lucky money

Make or print li see envelopes to exchange with family members and fill them with lucky money. It is customary for married couples to give them to those who are unmarried.

Print the story of the Chinese Zodiac to share with your family. Since each year is represented by one of 12 animals, use this Chinese Zodiac Sign Calculator to figure out which animals you are. I like the calculator because it takes into account your actual day of birth in figuring out which animal you are. Many calendars like those you see on placemats at Chinese restaurants follow the western calendar that begins on January 1. They don't take into account that those with January birthdays (like Little Miss Techie) might fall under a different sign since Chinese New Year is determined by the lunar calendar. I also like that this site will give you a link so you can read and print the character traits for your animal sign. Did that make any sense?

Make felt fortune cookies, dumplings, or a tray of oranges for your play kitchen. The oranges signify gold and prosperity for the new year while dumpling preparation the night before the start of the new year is a tradition.

Hanging lanterns in red and gold symbolize good luck

Decorate your house with paper lanterns or plum blossom branches

Recycle your toilet paper tubes to make pretend firecrackers that will ward off evil spirits.

Prepare a Tray of Togetherness. In my grandparents' and parents' house a square lacquer box with different compartments were always filled with candied sweets of ginger, winter melon, lotus seeds, sliced taro root, crunchy water chestnuts, and coconut at this time of year. Our box may be an octagon plastic one but it will be filled with sweets like candied winter melon and coconut. Make one at home by gathering 8 dishes and filling them with sweet treats. Eight is a lucky number!

Order noodles with your Chinese meal since the length of the noodles signifies long life and it's customary to eat noodles as part of any happy occasion.

Ward off evils spirits with your own dragon

Have your own parade with dragon hand puppets or dancing lion puppets

Beginning readers will enjoy making a mini book of words associated with Chinese New Year. Also be sure to read any of the following picture books together to learn more about Chinese New Year customs and the Chinese culture:

Gung Hay Fat Choy (or Happy Chinese New Year!)

Amazon affiliate links contained in this post. This post was written as part of the MomsRising Lunar New Year Year of the Dragon Blog Carnival to help celebrate Asian-American families and all families.