Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) is the most important holiday in China and many other Asian countries. While most of us are familiar with the term Chinese New Year, the term Lunar New Year (or Spring Festival) is used more often by the cultures who celebrate the holiday in countries such as Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Singapore, North Korea, South Korea, Tibet, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. It’s also become an important holiday for many in the U.S., UK, Australia, and Canada.
Cultural studies are an essential part of the Montessori curriculum, and Lunar New Year activities can add to any Montessori program, whether in the classroom or at home. If you look through my links and posts shared here today, you’ll find hundreds of Montessori-friendly resources that could be used to observe the Chinese (Lunar) New Year.
Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Free Educational Videos, Songs, Rhymes, and Fingerplays about Chinese New Year
You’ll find lots of helpful resources, both educational videos and songs, in my free Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) songs and rhymes for circle time post. If you’d like to know more about the Lunar New Year, be sure to check out the educational videos in the first part of this post.
Montessori-Friendly Chinese New Year Printables
Free Montessori-Friendly Chinese New Year Printables
- Free China Printable Packs from Every Star Is Different (Go to the search bar at the bottom of the blog and search for Chinese New Year.)
- Free Chinese New Year Printables and Activities from Wise Owl Factory
- Free Chinese New Year Packs with 3-Part Cards from Royal Baloo
- Counting to 10 Chinese New Year Math Freebie from Learn and Grow Designs
- Free Chinese New Year Bingo Game from Gift of Curiosity
- Free Chinese New Year Do-a-Dot Printables from Gift of Curiosity
- Free Chinese New Year Sudoku from Gift of Curiosity
- Chinese New Year Red Envelope Math Activity (subscriber freebie) from A Little Pinch of Perfect
- Free Chinese Characters Printable from Activities for Kids
- Free 12 Chinese Zodiac Sign Pictures from Chinese Calligraphy Store
- Free Chinese New Year: Make a “Fú 福” Chinese Lucky Word Sign from Miss Panda Chinese
- Lucky Money Red Envelope Craft from Southern Mom Loves
- Free DIY Lucky Red Envelopes Celebrating Chinese New Year from Thrifty Jinxy
- Free Chinese Dragon Mask Template from Itsy Bitsy Fun
- Free Dancing Dragon Card from Hattifant
- Free Paper Plate Dragon Twirler from Red Ted Art
- Free Dragon Puppet Printable from Red Ted Art
- Dancing Dragon Craft with Free Printables from Hodge Podge Craft
- Free Chinese Character Printables from Activities for Kids
- Free Printables for Two Chinese New Year Dragon Crafts from Pink Stripey Socks
- Free Fortune Cookie Papers (and Recipe) for Chinese New Year from Alpha Mom
- Free Chinese New Year Printables from Making Learning Fun
- Free China and Chinese New Year Crafts from DLTK’s Crafts for Kids
- Free Chinese Zodiac Boxes from Kutchuk
The panda is the national animal of China, so it works well for Chinese New Year activities. I have a post with lots of free panda printables and Montessori-inspired panda activities.
Montessori-Friendly Chinese New Year Printables Available for Purchase
- Chinese New Year Printable Pack from Every Star Is Different (See my review and activities post here.)
- Chinese New Year Cards and Booklet from Montessori Print Shop
- Chinese New Year Preschool Pack from Trillium Montessori
- China-Themed 4-Part Cards from Welcome to Mommyhood
- Chinese New Year Printables Pack from Gift of Curiosity
- Chinese New Year Unit from The Pinay Homeschooler
- Chinese New Year Zodiac Matching Game from Teach Beside Me
- Chinese New Year Resources on Etsy
- Montessori Chinese New Year Printables on Teachers Pay Teachers
Montessori Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) Celebrations in the Classroom
These Chinese New Year celebrations are from Montessori classrooms but could work well in the classroom or be adapted for home.
- Celebrating Chinese New Year in the Montessori Classroom, Chinese New Year Activities for the Montessori Classroom, Chinese New Year in the Montessori Classroom: Activities for Making Journals and Resolutions, and Chinese New Year – Montessori Curriculum Activities from North American Montessori Center
- Chinese New Year Celebration from a Montessori School from Montessori from the Heart
- A Lesson Plan for Chinese New Year with Props and Stories from Kid World Citizen
- Lunar New Year Celebrations from One World Montessori
- Chinese New Year Celebration from Montessori in Bloom
- Happy Chinese New Year from A Montessori Classroom
- Vietnamese Group Brings Lunar New Year Celebration to Lodi Montessori School
Montessori-Inspired Activities for Chinese New Year
I have a roundup post of Montessori-inspired Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) activities.
If you’d like to add a study of Asia to your Lunar New Year Activities, I have a post with Montessori-inspired continent activities for Asia.
If you’d like to focus on China, I have a post with Montessori-inspired Little Passports activities for China (including some activities that don’t need a Little Passports subscription).
If you’d like to focus on moon activities for Lunar New Year, you’ll find many moon printables and activities in my Montessori-inspired moon unit.
Chinese New Year Books for Kids
I have an Asia Educational Resources Pinterest Board with lots of activities for Asia and China (near the bottom of the board).
Kids’ Chinese New Year Activities
I have a Kids’ Chinese New Year Activities Pinterest Board with lots of activities of all kinds to celebrate the holiday.
This post is part of the 2018 Montessori Series!
Even though Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) is also called Spring Festival, it occurs during our winter. So I’ve included it as a winter theme. Here are some more fun learning ideas for winter themes:
- Yarn Paper Plate Heart Craft – Beginner Sewing for Preschool and Kindergarten | Natural Beach Living
- Montessori-Friendly Ways to Teach Kids about Animals in Winter ~ Printables Included | The Natural Homeschool
- Hundreds of Montessori-Friendly Resources for Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) | Living Montessori Now
- Montessori Arctic Activities and Printables | Mama’s Happy Hive
- Montessori Self-Care Essentials for Winter | The Kavanaugh Report
- How Polar Animals Keep Warm Experiment | The Pinay Homeschooler
- Winter Practical Life | Sugar, Spice & Glitter
Have a wonderful Lunar New Year … and a great rest of the winter! 🙂
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What an amazing resource for the Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year. Thanks for sharing so many great ideas.
You always have the best resources! Thanks for putting this list together.
Wow! What an amazing round up! Thank you so much for including my China Cards! I’m so honored! I can’t wait to share this with my readers!
Lots of fun ideas! We celebrated Chinese New Year several years ago at our homeschool co-op and the kids loved it. Thanks for sharing!