How to Make a Chinese Dragon From a Paper Towel Roll

The Chinese dragon is a symbol of guardianship and beneficence.

According to Karen Carr, professor emerita of history at Portland State University, the image of the Chinese dragon began during the Chou Dynasty around 1100 BC as an emblem of the emperor, representing guardianship and beneficence. Geography professor David Chuenyan Lai of University of Victoria explains that according to myth, the Chinese dragon hibernates in the ocean but comes out in spring, bringing rain to the people. The Chinese New Year was originally celebrated in spring but adapted to the Western calender in 1912. Now the Chinese dragon is celebrated during Spring Festival. You can celebrate Spring Festival or the Chinese New Year by making a dragon wind toy out of a paper towel roll.

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Newspapers
Paper towel roll
Red acrylic paint
Paint brush
Cup of water
Scissors
Clear tape
1 Sheet red construction paper
1 Sheet orange Construction paper
Pencil
White glue
Colored markers (optional)
Black marker
Various colors of acrylic paint (optional)
2 Popsicle sticks

Instructions

- 1
  
  Spread newspapers over a flat solid surface such as a table or countertop. This will protect the surface from paint.
- 2
  
  Paint a paper towel roll red. Allow about half an hour to an hour for the paint to dry.
- 3
  
  Use scissors to cut the paper towel roll into 10 rings. Cut each ring open and link them all together to make a chain. Use clear tape to seal the linked rings.
- 4
  
  Draw a square shape for the dragon's head with a pencil on the red sheet of construction paper and cut it out. Hold the square firmly on an orange sheet of construction paper and draw a spiky mane around the head. Cut out the mane and glue it behind the red square.
  
  Cut out and color a dragon head template from the Resources section if you are uncomfortable designing the dragon head from scratch.
- 5
  
  Draw the dragon's face with a pencil first, then trace over it with a black marker. If you're an artistic type, you can paint the face with acrylic paints. Colored markers or crayons will not show up well on red paper. Tape the head of the dragon onto the first paper towel roll ring.
- 6
  
  Draw a long triangle shape for the dragon's tail on the red sheet of construction paper. Cut it out and hold it firmly on the orange sheet of construction paper. Draw a spiky orange fringe for the tail. Cut out the fringe and glue it underneath the red tail. Tape the tail to the last paper towel roll ring.
- 7
  
  Hold the first paper towel roll ring so that the dragon's head is vertical. Tape a Popsicle stick to the back of the ring where the dragon's head is taped.
- 8
  
  Hold the last paper towel roll ring so that the dragon's tail is vertical. Tape a Popsicle stick to the back of the ring where the dragon's tail is taped.
- 9
  
  Hold one Popsicle stick in one hand and the other in your other hand. Move one hand up and the other down and then alternate to make your Chinese dragon dance through the air.

Photo Credit Digital Vision./Photodisc/Getty Images

How to Make a Chinese Dragon From a Paper Towel Roll

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