It’s that time of the year again when vibrant parades, dazzling fireworks, and colorful lanterns light up the streets! The Chinese New Year is upon us, and this year is the Year of the Dragon.

A great way to get kids in the spirit of the Chinese New Year is for them to make this easy Chinese dragon craft. Encourage your little ones to craft a cute and colorful dragon to usher in good luck and joy for the coming year. 

As they create their own dragon masterpiece, kids will not only enjoy crafting but also learn about the rich cultural traditions associated with the occasion. In 2024, the spotlight is on the majestic dragon as it takes center stage in the Chinese zodiac. 

Explore more Chinese New Year crafts to make this festive season a memorable and educational experience for the whole family.

Lunar New Year Dragon Craft

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This craft makes learning about other traditions a fun, hands-on experience for children. Gather a few simple supplies like paper, scissors, and glue, and use our free template to craft this adorable dragon decoration with ease.

Download our free dragon template and follow the step-by-step instructions below to get started. 

Supplies

• Colored cardstock or construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Dragon Template (click the “click here to get this freebie” image at the end to open the form)

Direction

Download the dragon template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.

Begin by gluing the belly piece to the dragon’s body.

Place the eyes on both sides of the nose, then glue them down.

Take the inner ear pieces and glue them to the outer ears.

Position the antlers at the back of the head then glue them down.

Glue the dragon’s small horns down on both sides of the back of the head.

Finish up by attaching the head scales to the top of the head.

We’re sure your kids love creating cool crafts. Check out our other animal crafts while you’re here!

Chinese New Year Ideas For Kids

Get ready to ignite the spark of curiosity in your kids as they learn about the Chinese New Year! Explore the vibrant traditions and fascinating stories that make this celebration so unique.

Whether at home or in the classroom, these ideas promise a fun way to develop essential developmental skills, as well as valuable insights into Chinese culture. Inspire your kids to explore and learn about this cultural celebration with some ideas for great books, crafts, and activities listed below.

Chinese New Year Books For Kids

How To Catch A Dragon – Join the fun in “How to Catch a Dragon”! Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton bring a Chinese New Year adventure to life. Your 3-8-year-olds will be thrilled with kids chasing a dragon amidst vibrant festivities. It’s not only fun but also educational with bonus Mandarin lessons. A must-have for your little one’s bookshelf!

Celebrate Chinese New Year – Get ready for a firecracker of fun with this book by Carolyn Otto! This book is like a magic carpet, whisking your kids away away to explore the dazzling traditions of Chinese New Year. You’ll meet fiery dragons, sparkling fireworks, glowing lanterns, and more!

Dragon Dance – This playful book takes you through the exciting sights and sounds of Chinese New Year, all with a simple lift of a flap. Perfect for little hands aged 2-5, this book is a festive fiesta of fun and learning, opening doors to a vibrant world of dragons and celebrations!

Chinese New Year Craft Ideas

Dragon Puppet Craft – Roar into the Year of the Dragon with a fun-filled craft! Kids will get creative by making a dragon puppet out of a simple paper bag. Celebrate the 2024 Chinese New Year in style with this fun dragon craft!

Horse Handprint Craft – Celebrate the 2026 Chinese New Year by creating a unique handprint horse! Let your kid’s imagination gallop as they transform their hand into a majestic symbol of good fortune and adventure. Embrace creativity and usher in the Year of the Horse.

Goat Paper Bag Puppet – The 2027 Chinese New Year brings in the Year of the Goat. Kids can usher in good fortune with their new goat puppet! You just need a few common supplies and our template to make your own.

Dragon Headband Craft – Bring in the Chinese New Year this year wearing a dragon headband! Spark your child’s creativity, learn about traditions, and celebrate the Year of the Dragon in a hands-on and exciting way.

Lunar New Year Kid Activities

Celebrate with our Chinese New Year color by numbers! Engage kids in other cultures as they fill the pages with vibrant colors. Each page is a blend of learning and fun as they color in each numbered space.

From a rabbit to dazzling fireworks, there are six pages in this set of color by numbers kids will love to complete. Celebrate diversity, foster creativity, and make memories together with these fun coloring pages!

Immerse your child in educational fun with our dragon worksheets! Beyond the fun, these sheets develop crucial skills for the future. Tracing the letter D enhances hand-eye coordination and improves handwriting.

Labeling the parts of a dragon sharpens their scissor, fine motor, and problem solving skills. Then boost letter recognition with the letter D maze. These engaging activities are great for enjoyable moments of learning!

Embark on an exciting journey into the Year of the Dragon with this 2024 Chinese New Year Set! Packed with coloring, tracing, drawing, and more, it guarantees a blend of learning and fun.

Kids will love the engaging word searches, mazes, a cool printable mask, and much more. Join them to share in the fun or watch their confidence soar as they independently conquer each delightful page!

Delve into reading fun with this free printable Chinese Zodiac Animals cut and paste book! Creating this book is perfect for budding readers, and it offers a fun way to practice reading repetitive text, identify sight words, and more.

Let your child explore the different Chinese zodiac animals through engaging cut-and-paste activities to promote literacy skills and enjoyment. Learning meets creativity in this interactive activity!

Share With Us

Did you make this activity with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!

For a chance to have your child’s project featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!

Dragon Craft Template