10+ Horse Chinese New Year Crafts for Kids to Celebrate the Year of the Horse

Facebook Email Flipboard Pinterest Reddit

If you’re looking for a playful way to mark the Year of the Horse, these horse Chinese New Year crafts are just the thing. Perfect for little hands and big imaginations, each idea uses simple materials you already have.

From puppets to paper plate creations, kids will love bringing these cheerful horses to life. Want more ideas like these? Head over to Simple Everyday Mom for even more kid-friendly Chinese New Year fun.

A collage of horse-themed paper crafts for kids, including handprint horses, puppets, paper bag designs, and clothespin horse cutouts, all styled for Chinese New Year activities.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a participant in other affiliate programs, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Read our disclosure policy.

Lunar New Year Craft Ideas

Horse Headband

Kids can create their own wearable horse costume piece with a simple paper headband that they make themselves. It comes with a printable template that they color and cut out to form the horse's head and ears, which then attach to a band that fits around their head.

Wearing their finished headband, children can trot around pretending to be horses, adding an extra layer of imaginative play to the creative fun.

frugalfun4boys.com

Clothespin Horse

Turn a few basic supplies into a mini toy horse that can stand up on its own. Using a printable horse template and clothespins for legs, kids color and decorate their horse, adding fun touches like a yarn mane and tail.

Once finished, the clothespin legs let the paper horse stand upright, so kids can proudly display it or gallop it around in pretend play.

Related: Chinese Dragon Craft

www.easypeasyandfun.com

Movable Horse Paper Doll

A movable paper horse doll lets kids pretend their activity is galloping and kicking. With a few brads or paper fasteners, children assemble the horse's legs and head so they can actually swivel and move.

Not many materials are needed, and kids will love posing their horse in different stances, making this art as much a toy as it is an art project.

Paper Bag Horse

A simple brown paper bag becomes a playful horse puppet in this easy project. Kids glue on a horse's head, mane, and tail (using a free template for the pieces) to transform the bag into a friendly farm animal.

After creating, they can put their hand inside the bag to make the horse “talk” and gallop, sparking lots of giggles and imaginative storytelling.

www.artycraftykids.com

Paper Roll Horse

Recycle an old toilet paper tube into a charming little horse that kids can actually play with. Using cut-out pieces for the head, legs, and even a yarn tail, children transform a cardboard roll into the horse's body and add all the features.

The finished horse stands up on its own four legs, so after making it, kids can trot it around and engage in imaginative play.

Also Try: Chinese New Year Color By Number Printables

bigfamilyblessings.com

Popsicle Stick Horse

Wooden sticks (popsicle sticks) become the building blocks for this adorable horse project. Kids glue and paint the sticks to create the shape of a horse, then add fun details like paper ears, a mane, and googly eyes to give it personality.

It's a hands-on project that feels like building a simple puzzle, and the result is a cute horse keepsake that children can play with or display.

Horse Handprint

Kids create a cute keepsake by turning their own handprint into a horse. They'll trace and cut out their hand shape (or use a template) to form the horse's head and mane, then add details like a googly eye, a yarn tail, and a drawn-on smile.

Parents will especially love this project because it captures their child's hand size, and kids enjoy seeing a tracing of their hand magically turn into their favorite animal.

www.redtedart.com

Paper Plate Horse

A paper plate and a few simple art supplies are all preschoolers need to make a cute horse face. They can paint the plate, glue on a yarn or paper mane, and add big paper ears, resulting in an adorable horse head to decorate the fridge or use for pretend play.

This project is suitable for very young children, and they can personalize their horse by choosing their favorite colors for the mane and other details.

www.redtedart.com

Year of the Horse Hand Puppet

Celebrate the upcoming Year of the Horse (2026) with a fun hand puppet art that ties into Chinese New Year traditions. This printable activity allows kids to color and assemble a horse puppet that they can animate with their hands, much like a mini dragon dance, but with a horse.

It's an easy and festive project that introduces children to the Chinese zodiac and adds an interactive element to the New Year celebration.

Paper Plate Horse

An ordinary paper plate turns into a friendly horse's face with just a bit of paint and glue. Kids will paint the plate to create the horse's head, then attach paper pieces, such as ears, a mane, and a large snout, using a handy template.

It's an easy farm animal art that young children can manage, and they'll be proud to show off their colorful horse face once it's finished.

www.artycraftykids.com

Paper Plate Horse

For this project, a simple paper plate becomes the base for a cute horse's head. Kids paint the plate (adding a white muzzle or stripe for the nose) and then glue on paper ears, a mane, and big eyes using the provided template.

Little details like drawn-on lashes and rosy cheeks give the horse extra character, and children can choose their own colors to make their horse one-of-a-kind.

thatkidscraftsite.com

Paper Horse

Using a paper plate and a handy printable template, kids can create their very own horse pal from scratch. They will paint or color the plate, cut out the provided horse features (ears, eyes, nose), and glue them on, adding a fluffy yarn or paper mane to bring it to life.

It's a fun, hands-on activity that not only results in an adorable farm animal but also helps youngsters practice their scissor skills and creativity.

More Fun Kid’s Ideas

10 Simple + Cute Horse Crafts For Kids
43 Fun Animal Paper Plate Crafts For Kids
61 Awesome Headband Crafts For Kids

Facebook Email Flipboard Pinterest Reddit

photograph of found of Simple Everyday Mom, Sam

Meet Sam

Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump, and more.

About Sam