How to teach your child about Chinese New Year and make a Chinese New Year Dragon

Teach your child or students about cultural diversity and various celebrations around the planet to broaden their knowledge about life and events in other countries far away from where they may be currently located. The Chinese New Year celebration is a major celebration to those of Chinese or 'Asian' descent in that it is a time when families of mainland China and other outlying Asian countries gather to celebrate the new year. Families give one another gifts of money wrapped in fancy red envelopes and eat specially prepared foods to give thanks for the harvests. One of the old legends of China says that once upon a time, there was a rogue dragon who often terrorized the people of China and devoured livestock and people when it appeared, but the Chinese people discovered that the dragon hated loud noises; so many Chinese families got together and made lots of noises to scare the dragon away. Now, in China, when the Chinese New Year is celebrated, the people make elaborate dragon costumes and parade them around the cities, making loud noises and shooting off fireworks.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• various colors of tissue paper
• glue
• glitter
• scissors
• paper
• pens or markers
• tape
• popsicle sticks or Chinese chopsticks
• thin cardboard
• tape

1. 
    
   Draw your dragon's head in profile onto cardboard.

   Plan out what your dragon will look like. Make a pattern for your child, or let him or her draw it themselves. Sketch your dragon's head in profile (profile is the side view of your dragon's face) onto a thin sheet of cardboard and color it in with markers and embellish with glue and glitter. Let dry for 24 hours.

2. 
    
   Make an accordian of 2 strips of paper for the body.

   Make the dragon's body by taking two strips of paper (cut lengthwise from your sheets of paper)...apx. 3 inches wide X 12 inches long. Fold the paper one over the other to make an 'accordion' of the two colors.

3. 
    
   Cut tissue paper into strips to make hair, beard, and tail.

   Cut out your dragon's head from the cardboard sheet with your scissors. Attach various strips of colored tissue paper to the dragon's head for 'hair' and a 'beard' and also some to the end of the strip of 'accordion' paper body for the dragon's tail with tape.

4. 
    
   Add sticks to control your dragon's movements!

   Glue the body section to the head with glue (or secure with tape)...and then attach either 1 long popsicle stick or one chopstick to the head; and one to the tail to make 'puppeteer sticks' to hold on to. Use glue and allow 24 hours to dry before 'playing' with your dragon. The sticks will allow your hands to move the dragon's body so that it can 'snake' fluidly as though it is dancing.

5. 
    
   written by mumstheword

   If you feel that this article for an educational art project focusing on the Chinese New Year was helpful in any way, then please don't forget to post your remarks before you leave this page! Thanks so much for reading and rating my work here on ehow!

Tips & Warnings

• always allow glue to dry for a full 24 hours so art projects don't fall apart!
• supervise young children with scissors and glue at all times