Discover the Chinese Zodiac Animals with Engaging Lunar New Year Crafts

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Are you ready to welcome the Year of the Snake 2025 in a fun and educational way? If so, you’re in the right place. In this post, we’ll explore the Chinese zodiac animals, learn about the Chinese zodiac’s fascinating history, and dive into some delightful Chinese New Year crafts. These activities are perfect for Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade classrooms.


What Is the Chinese Zodiac?

First, let’s talk about what the Chinese zodiac actually is. Known as “Shengxiao” (生肖) in Mandarin, the Chinese zodiac is a cycle of 12 years. Each year is represented by an animal, and these animals are rooted in Chinese mythology and folklore. They are believed to influence personality traits, life events, and celebrations during the Lunar New Year.

Here’s the complete list of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals:

  1. Rat
  2. Ox
  3. Tiger
  4. Rabbit
  5. Dragon
  6. Snake
  7. Horse
  8. Goat
  9. Monkey
  10. Rooster
  11. Dog
  12. Pig

Every Lunar New Year, families all over the world honor the zodiac animal of the year with decorations, traditions, and festive activities. Since 2025 is the Year of the Snake, now is the perfect time to introduce these animals to your students through fun crafts and lessons.


Chinese Zodiac Animals Crafts

If you’re looking for creative ways to bring the Chinese zodiac to life in your classroom, these Chinese New Year crafts have you covered. Best of all, the craft activities are low-prep to help make your planning a breeze. In fact, you can simply print, decorate, and create! Let’s take a closer look at the three main components:

1. Chinese Zodiac Wheel and Worksheets

To begin, consider using the Chinese Zodiac Wheel. This hands-on craft lets children spin and explore each of the 12 zodiac animals in a colorful, interactive way. There’s also a worksheet where students can record their birth year and zodiac animal. To make teaching simple, I’ve also included a teaching guide for each animal which gives you an overview of each zodiac animal’s characteristics, some fun facts and activity ideas.

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<< Get this Chinese Zodiac Wheel craft here>>

2. Chinese Zodiac Animal Lanterns

Next, brighten your classroom with Chinese zodiac animal lanterns. These lanterns not only look festive but also celebrate traditional Lunar New Year decorations. To create them, just:

  1. Print the lantern template.
  2. Have your students color and decorate their chosen animal.
  3. Assemble, hang, and enjoy the festive atmosphere!

Kids will love the chance to customize their lantern, and you’ll appreciate how easy they are to set up.

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<< Get the complete set of Chinese zodiac animal lanterns here>>

Example of the Year of the Horse Activities

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<< Get these Lunar New Year crafts here>>

3. Chinese Zodiac Crafts for Each Lunar New Year

Finally, deepen your students’ understanding of the zodiac with crafts that highlight each animal. For example:

  • Lanterns: Vibrant and easy-to-make for classroom displays.
  • Windsocks: Perfect for a burst of color and movement.
  • Crowns: Let students “become” their zodiac animal for the day.
  • Bracelets: A fun wearable craft that reminds children of their zodiac animal.

These crafts keep your celebrations fresh year after year. So, whether you’re making a Year of the Snake windsock or a Year of the Horse crown, your students will love the hands-on learning experience.

Pin<< Learn more about these Lunar New Year crafts here>>


Benefits of These Activities

You might be wondering how these projects can enhance your lessons. Below are a few key benefits:

  • Cultural Enrichment: Each craft can include bilingual lessons in English and Mandarin, helping students connect with Lunar New Year traditions.
  • Low-Prep, High-Fun: Simply print, decorate, and assemble—no complicated materials required!
  • Versatility: Suitable for preschoolers just beginning their journey in craft making, and older students eager to learn about Chinese New Year customs.
  • Reusability: With all 12 zodiac animals included, you can revisit these crafts each Lunar New Year from 2025 to 2036!

Celebrate the Year of the Snake 2025

As you plan your Lunar New Year crafts, remember that these Chinese zodiac animals activities are designed to make cultural exploration both enriching and enjoyable. From the interactive zodiac wheel to the playful lanterns, your students will love discovering new traditions and expressing their creativity.

Are you ready to bring the spirit of Chinese New Year into your classroom? Try out these engaging, low-prep crafts and celebrate the Year of the Snake with your young learners!

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<< Get these Year of the Snake crafts here>>

Grab the complete set of Chinese zodiac animals printables today to kick off your Lunar New Year celebrations in style. Let’s make this festive season a memorable one for you and your students! You can get them below from my TPT store.

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More New Year’s Activities

These Chinese New Year crafts include paper lanterns, dragon puppets, masks, fans and more!

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<<Learn more about these fun Lunar New Year Crafts here>>

You may also like these New Year’s activities, which are full of fun activities for the beginning of the year.

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<<<Learn more about these activities here>>

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