Celebrate Lunar New Year in the Classroom with Meaningful, Hands-On Learning 🎉🏮

Lunar New Year is such a special time to bring culture, creativity, and community into the classroom. It’s also a perfect opportunity to blend academic rigor with festive, hands-on activities that students genuinely love. If you’re looking for low-prep, high-engagement resources to celebrate Chinese New Year while still meeting learning goals, these two classroom favorites are must-haves!

 

🏮 Lunar New Year Lantern Math Craft

Festive Math Practice That Doubles as a Stunning Display

Make math practice meaningful and creative with this Lunar New Year Lantern Math Craft! This hands-on activity allows students to solve math problems while constructing a beautiful lantern to celebrate Chinese New Year. The result? Engaged learners, differentiated instruction, and eye-catching classroom decor all in one activity.

Designed for Grades 2–6, this resource includes over 300 math problems across 40+ skills, making it incredibly flexible and perfect for use year after year.

✨ Why Teachers Love This Lantern Math Craft:

  • 300+ math problems covering addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

  • 40+ math skills for easy differentiation

  • Low-prep, print-and-go design

  • Blank lantern templates for custom problems or extensions

  • Lanterns can stand alone or connect together for bulletin boards

  • Combines cultural celebration with rigorous math practice

🎯 Perfect For:

  • Lunar New Year classroom celebrations

  • Math centers or small group instruction

  • Differentiation across multiple grade levels

  • Early finishers or enrichment

  • Bulletin boards and hallway displays

  • In-person or hybrid classrooms

Students love seeing their math work turn into something colorful and meaningful—and teachers love how easy it is to implement!

 

🐲 Lunar New Year Crown Craft

A Fun Way to Learn About the Chinese Zodiac

Looking for a festive craft that students can wear and show off? The Lunar New Year Crown Craft is a fun, hands-on way to introduce students to the Chinese Zodiac animals while encouraging creativity and fine motor skills.

Students create their own animal crown headbands, making this activity perfect for celebrations, cultural lessons, and memorable classroom photos.

✨ What’s Included:

  • Printable Chinese Zodiac animal crown templates

  • Multiple animal options so you can reuse this resource every year

  • Black-and-white versions for easy printing and coloring

  • Simple cut-and-assemble design for young learners

🎨 Perfect For:

  • Lunar New Year / Chinese New Year celebrations

  • Social Studies and cultural lessons

  • Fine motor skill practice

  • Art centers or morning work

  • Bulletin boards and hallway displays

🎊 Why Teachers Love It:

✔ Minimal prep
✔ Highly engaging
✔ Encourages creativity
✔ Makes an adorable classroom photo opportunity

Just print, color, cut, and assemble—easy, fun, and meaningful!

🎉 The Perfect Lunar New Year Classroom Combo

Together, these two resources create a well-rounded Lunar New Year celebration:

  • Math + Culture

  • Creativity + Academic Skills

  • Low Prep + High Engagement

Whether you’re decorating your classroom, building cultural awareness, or keeping students excited about learning, these Lunar New Year activities make planning simple and joyful.

Here’s to celebrating Lunar New Year with learning your students will remember! 🏮✨

Happy teaching,

Allison