Free Lunar New Year Activities For Kids

Are you hunting for a set of fun, engaging, and FREE Lunar New Year activities for kids? Well, you’re in for a treat!

SCROLL TO THE END TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE LUNAR NEW YEAR FUN PACKET!

Lunar New Year is one of the most vibrant and culturally rich celebrations in the world.

Known by different names across various countries—like Chinese New Year or Tet in Vietnam—it marks the start of the lunar calendar.

To make this festive season educational and fun, I’ve created a set of 18 free printable worksheets tailored for 2nd and 3rd graders.

These printable worksheets include everything from comparing the American New Year to the Lunar New Year, reading comprehension, word searches, and more. Plus, the packet comes with fun facts about the significance of the red envelopes, the 12 zodiac animals, the delicious foods that make this holiday extra special, and sooo much more!

Fun Facts About The Lunar New Year

Before diving into the printable worksheets, let’s explore some fascinating traditions and customs of Lunar New Year.

Red Envelopes – One of the most cherished traditions is giving and receiving red envelopes (hóngbào in Mandarin). These envelopes contain money and symbolize good luck and blessings for the upcoming year. The color red is believed to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity.

The 12 Zodiac Animals – Each year is represented by one of the 12 zodiac animals, including the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. According to legend, these animals participated in a race to determine their order in the zodiac cycle. The animal of the year is said to influence the year’s fortunes and personality traits of those born in it. In 2025 it’s the year of the snake!

Lanterns and Decorations – Hanging lanterns are a common sight during Lunar New Year. Lanterns symbolize brightness, hope, and the wish for a bright future. Families also decorate their homes with red banners, paper cuttings, and couplets with wishes for happiness and prosperity.

Preparations and Festivities – The days leading up to the Lunar New Year are filled with cleaning homes to sweep away bad luck, shopping for new clothes, and preparing traditional foods. Families come together to enjoy feasts featuring dumplings, rice cakes, fish, and noodles. Each dish carries symbolic meanings like wealth, longevity, and abundance. (Which I shared on the fun facts sheets in our free printable pack.)

Free Lunar New Year Activities Included

I’ve designed these printable worksheets to keep kids engaged while deepening their understanding of Lunar New Year traditions.

Let’s take a closer look at the activities included:

1. Comparison of American New Year vs. Lunar New Year – Students will compare and contrast how these two celebrations differ in traditions, foods, and activities. For example, the American New Year often involves fireworks and resolutions whereas the Lunar New Year focuses on family reunions and symbolic customs.

2. Reading Comprehension – The packet includes engaging fun facts about the history and customs of the Lunar New Year, followed by comprehension questions to test understanding. This activity helps improve literacy skills while teaching cultural awareness.

3. Lunar Word Search – A fun way to reinforce vocabulary associated with the Lunar New Year.

4. Lunar Word Scramble – Students can unscramble festive words like – dragon, lantern, spring, luck, etc, sharpening their spelling and problem-solving skills.

5. True or False Questions – This worksheet includes statements like – Lunar New Year is celebrated on January 01 each year. Or, the Lunar New Year can be either in January or February. Students will determine if the statements provided are true or false, reinforcing their knowledge of the holiday.

6. Fact Sheet on Lunar New Year – I’ve included tons of fact sheets on all things Lunar New Year. From foods, the different animals, traditions, etc.

Why These Activities Are Perfect for 2nd and 3rd Graders?

Educational and Fun – The activities strike a balance between learning and enjoyment, making cultural education accessible and engaging.

Skill Development – These Lunar New Year activities and worksheets enhance literacy, critical thinking, and cultural awareness.

Easy to Use – Whether you’re a teacher planning a lesson or a parent looking for activities at home, the printables are ready to use and require minimal to no prep time.

How to Use These Lunar New Year Activities?

As mentioned earlier, these Lunar New Year activities for kids are perfect for both at-home and in-classroom use.

Here’s how you can use these worksheets in the classroom as a teacher:

Morning Warm-Up – Use the word search or word scramble to kick off the day with a fun brain exercise.

Cultural Lesson – Pair the reading comprehension and fact sheets with a discussion about the importance of traditions.

Art and Craft Time – Have kids decorate red envelopes or color symbols while learning about their meanings.

As a parent, you can use these worksheets:

Homeschooling – Use these worksheets as part of your homeschool lesson plan for February sparking conversations about different cultures with your kids and fostering diversity and acceptance.

Holiday Preparation – Kids can help decorate the home with lantern coloring pages or custom red envelopes.

Sibling Fun – Older siblings can help younger ones with matching games or reading activities.

Download Your Free Lunar New Year Packet

Click on the link below to download your 18 free Lunar New Year worksheets!

These printables are a wonderful way to help your kids appreciate diverse cultures and traditions while having fun.

Lunar New Year Activities (22 downloads )

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Free Lunar New Year Activities For Kids

So, whether it’s comparing New Year celebrations, unscrambling Lunar New Year-themed words, or learning about zodiac animals.

These free Lunar New Year activities for kids will leave a lasting impression and create meaningful learning moments for your kiddos.

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I would truly appreciate it if you could share this blog post with a parent or teacher friend who may want these free printables for their kiddos. Thank you so much!