Festive Lunar New Year Activities for Kids and Teens

Lunar New Year is a time for family gatherings, delicious food, and joyful celebrations. Also known as Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Seollal, and Tết, it marks the beginning of the year in the lunisolar calendar. The holiday is observed by communities in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and around the world. Families can honor new year traditions by using kid-friendly entertainment to bond and make memories.

Here are some ways you can celebrate with your children and learn more about the holiday together.

For Preschoolers and Young Kids

• Gather for storytime. Listen to authors read aloud from Brandon Makes Jiǎo Zi, Gordon & Li Li Celebrate Chinese New Year, and Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year Parade.

• Make crafts together. Get creative and make dragons, lanterns, lucky bags, paper cuttings, and red envelopes.

• Print out coloring sheets. Learn more about the animals related to Chinese zodiac signs. You can also design your own hanbok inspired by Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) celebrations.

• Watch clips from children's shows. "Curious George: Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year!" and "Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Happy Chinese New Year!"

For Preteens and Teens

• Check out festivities about the world. Read this article on ways that people welcome Lunar New Year in different countries.

• Explore traditions. Find out more about lantern craft in Vietnam and Qilin dancing in Chinese cultures.

• Have a puzzle party. Solve virtual jigsaw puzzles of festive art.

• Find your zodiac animal. Look through art of zodiac animals and find your sign.

Find more resources and entertainment picks that celebrate Asian cultures here.