Chinese New Year 12 Animal Signs Party! Chinese New Year is called Lunar New Year 農曆年|农历年liand Spring Festival春節|春节 in Mandarin Chinese.
We are officially entering the Year of the PIG (Feb. 5, 2019). PIG is the last animal of the 12-year cycle on the Chinese calendar.
So, what animal comes next?
The one comes next will be the first and the beginning of a brand new 12-year Chinese animal sign cycle. Have you heard the story of The Great Race?
This story tells you how the animals were selected and how they were placed in order on the Chinese calendar.
Here is a bilingual English-Chinese Lunar New Year party with the 12 Chinese animal friends! This party is designed with young learners who are new to the Chinese language in mind.
In the Background
The two lucky words,” jí lucky 吉” and “chūn spring 春”, in the background are a gift of paper cutting art from a visiting paper cutting master from China. Master was one of the traditional Chinese art experts who was sharing their artworks in the Smithsonian Freer Sackler Museum for the Lunar New Year celebration event.
Master speaks Sichuanese and I am glad to speak my rusty Sichuanese, a dialect used in Sichuan province, China, with the master. It was the dialect my grandma spoke and it made my meeting with her quite special. She cut the two Chinese characters without any templates. She did it right there with her special pair of scissors that she brought with her on the trip.
The goal for this Chinese culture party
Children can watch this video and learn the 12 Chinese Animal Signs rhyme with the correct order and the gestures that I have created to go with it. For older kids, you can print out a set of the 12 Chinese animal signs characters and place them in order.
More Lunar New Year resources are available in Chinese Lunar New Year Guide – Tradition, Taboos, and Celebration!
Head over and check it out!
Below, there are several Lunar New Year posts you can explore with kids together from IG.
Happy Lunar New Year! Happy Spring Festival!!
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