How to Build an Oriental Parade Dragon

Dragon parades are an important part of celebrating the Chinese, or Lunar, New Year.

Chinese New Year is an important holiday in many Asian cultures and usually takes place in early February. It is celebrated with two weeks of parties, festivals, and parades. A traditional dragon dance is performed at the close of each parade. Costumed dancers carry a large dragon puppet on poles or stilts, and move with the dragon. Craft a miniversion of this festive dragon puppet, using inexpensive and basic household materials.

Things You'll Need

• 2 egg cartons
• Acrylic paint
• Scissors
• Colored tissue paper or construction paper
• Markers
• Twine
• 4 Chopsticks

Instructions

1. Open the cartons, and paint the top and bottoms of the egg cartons. You only need to paint the outside, because the inside of the cartons will not be visible. Set aside for a few hours to dry. Close the carton.

2. Cut a vertical pair of egg humps from one of the cartons to make two eyes. Paint or draw in eyeballs.

3. Glue the eyes horizontally at an angle on the short end of the lid (of the cut carton). Cut out a face, mouth and other decorations from the tissue paper or construction paper. Glue these pieces on the same short end of the carton. You can also cut a mouth from the carton as well.

4. Cover the remaining part of the lid as well as the lid of the second container with tissue paper. Draw or paint on scales. Cut out a tissue paper tail and stick onto the end of the second container.

5. Place the containers so they are touching end to end. The head and tail should be at opposite ends. Open the cartons. Using duct tape, tape together the inside edges, where the two containers touch. Close the lids and glue shut.

6. Flip the dragon over on its back. Stick in the pointed end of the chopsticks into the cartons: one in the front, two in the middle, and one at the end. Secure with duct tape. These are the handles for the puppet.

References

• Activity Village: Egg Box Chinese Dragon