Chinese New Year Lantern Craft For Preschool
The Chinese New Year is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture. It is a time for families to come together, share traditional foods, and participate in various activities to celebrate the new year. One of the most popular activities during the Chinese New Year is making lanterns. Lanterns are a symbol of hope and good fortune, and they add a festive touch to any celebration. In this article, we will show you how to make Chinese New Year lanterns with your preschoolers.
Materials Needed:
Before you start making your lanterns, you will need the following materials:
- Red and gold construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- String or ribbon
- Pencil or marker
- Ruler
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Follow these easy steps to make your own Chinese New Year lanterns:
- Take a piece of red construction paper and fold it in half lengthwise.
- Using a pencil and ruler, draw lines 1 inch apart from the folded edge to about 1 inch from the other edge.
- Cut along the lines, making sure to stop about 1 inch from the edge.
- Unfold the paper and gently push the paper inward to create a cylinder shape.
- Overlap the two short ends of the paper and glue or tape them together to create the lantern shape.
- Cut a strip of gold paper and glue it around the top and bottom edges of the lantern.
- Cut two long strips of red paper and glue them to opposite sides of the lantern to create a handle.
- Decorate your lantern with gold paper cutouts of Chinese characters or other designs.
- Add string or ribbon to the handle to hang your lantern.
Alternative Lantern Design:
If you want to try a different lantern design, follow these steps:
- Take a piece of red construction paper and fold it in half lengthwise.
- Using a pencil and ruler, draw lines 1 inch apart from the folded edge to about 1 inch from the other edge.
- Cut along the lines, making sure to stop about 1 inch from the edge.
- Unfold the paper and gently push the paper inward to create a cylinder shape.
- Cut a strip of gold paper and glue it around the top and bottom edges of the lantern.
- Cut out a design from the center of one side of the lantern.
- Glue a piece of colored tissue paper to the inside of the lantern to cover the cutout design.
- Cut two long strips of red paper and glue them to opposite sides of the lantern to create a handle.
- Add string or ribbon to the handle to hang your lantern.
Conclusion:
Making Chinese New Year lanterns is a fun and easy craft activity to do with your preschoolers. It is a great way to teach them about Chinese culture and traditions. The lanterns can be hung up to decorate your home or classroom during the Chinese New Year festivities. We hope you enjoy making these lanterns with your preschoolers!
