Chinese New Year Dragon Parade

Research Chinese New Year and create dragon puppets to use in a parade.

• 1.

  Research Chinese New Year celebrations to find out about traditions such as foods, music, red banners on doors, parades, and fireworks. Study images of Chinese dragons for details such as color, design, and form.

• 2.

  Using paper cups as body sections, create a multi-segmented Chinese dragon puppet. For a puppet handle, attach a craft stick to a paper cup with Crayola® School Glue. Dry.

• 3.

  Design each dragon segment on a paper lunch bag with Crayola Markers. Cut decorative pieces from construction paper with Crayola Scissors and glue to the bags. Decorate with Crayola Glitter Glue. Drape the paper lunch bag over the paper cup and glue to the cup. Dry.

• 4.

  For the dragon face, attach a paper plate to the front bag, and use construction paper, glitter glue, and markers to elaborately decorate it.

• 5.

  Create a long tail section for the Chinese dragon puppet with lunch bags and construction paper. Decorate.

Benefits

• Students research traditions observed during Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) celebrations.
• Children create original Chinese dragon puppets.
• Students reenact a Chinese New Year parade with their puppets.

Adaptations

• Create larger Chinese dragon puppets with oatmeal boxes, grocery bags, or cardboard boxes big enough for puppeteers to wear.
• Invite a guest to help plan other authentic Chinese New Year traditions: prepare sweets, play drums, make lucky money or greeting cards.
• Create other realistic, segmented animals, such as snakes.