KId-Friendly CNY Dragon Decor for ‘24

Advertisement

CNY

There’s a whole lot to know if you’re going to celebrate Chinese New Year properly, and this year I plan on doing everything by the book and sticking as close to tradition as possible, partly to teach my little girl this side of her heritage and partly to finally satisfy the curiosity I’ve had for it all these decades. So, join me as I explain every Chinese New Year tradition that’s about to take over the city.

So far we've covered:
Your Guide to Chinese New Year Taboos and Superstitions
The Art and Traditions of CNY Couplets
Why 2024 is the Year of the Wooden Dragon
How Much to Put in Everyone's Hongbaos
A Day-to-day Breakdown of How to Celebrate CNY 

Search #JingkidsCNY to find more articles on this topic.

As the Chinese New Year comes around the corner, homes all over the country are bursting with red and gold decorations. Aside from the fireworks and lion dancing, there’s CNY magic taking place at home with each piece of festive decor that we put up.

Join the fun as we dive into the world of Chinese New Year decor, where every ornament is like a mini good luck charm ready to sprinkle some fortune dust on your space. Additionally, our recommendations for kid-friendly decorations make for the perfect family crafting time.

Let’s start with the traditional decorations.

01Red Lanterns

No Chinese New Year decor is complete without the iconic red lanterns. They symbolize good luck and prosperity. 

Here’s a super simple lantern craft that you and your kids can make at home.

02Couplets and Spring Festival Scrolls

The doorways of homes are adorned with couplets and Spring Festival scrolls meticulously written with auspicious phrases and wishes for the coming year. These vibrant scrolls are believed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits.

03Paper Cuttings

Intricate paper cuttings, often featuring zodiac animals or auspicious symbols, are meticulously crafted and displayed on windows and doors. These delicate creations symbolize good fortune and happiness, adding a touch of traditional artistry to the festive ambiance. They’re super fun and simple to do together as a family, and if you’ve got toddlers who are just learning how to cut, a pair of kid-safe scissors and a packet of papers with pre-printed designs can get you hours of creative fun.

04Fu Character

The character “福” (fú), meaning blessing or good fortune, is a ubiquitous presence in Chinese New Year decor. Whether displayed upside down (a play on words for “arrive”) or right side up, the fu character is believed to attract blessings and prosperity to the home.

05Tangerines and Oranges

Tangerines and oranges are not only delicious treats during the festive season but also carry symbolic significance. Their round shape and vibrant color represent fullness and wealth. Displaying them in homes is believed to invite abundance and good fortune.

06Nianhua (Traditional New Year Paintings)

Nianhua, traditional New Year paintings, depict scenes of joy, prosperity, and harmony. These artworks, often featuring zodiac animals and mythical figures, are hung on walls to invoke positivity and create an atmosphere of celebration.

07Plum Blossoms, Peonies, and Orchids

Floral arrangements play a significant role in Chinese New Year decor. Plum blossoms, peonies, and orchids are popular choices, each carrying its own symbolic meaning. Plum blossoms represent resilience, peonies symbolize prosperity, and orchids signify refinement and beauty.

08Coins and Ingots

To kickstart the year on a prosperous note, Chinese New Year decor often flaunts symbols of wealth like gold coins and ingots. Placed strategically, these little money maestros are like the welcoming committee for financial success and good fortune in the year ahead. It’s like giving your home a high-five for attracting all the good money vibes.

As homes are transformed into vibrant expressions of celebration, the Chinese New Year decor becomes a testament to the enduring traditions that link generations and inspire a sense of togetherness. 

Check out a few of our picks for kid-friendly Chinese New Year crafts below.

Cardboard dragon costumes are super fun for toddlers. They’re easy to assemble and lasts a surprisingly long time, especially if you reinforce all the tabs with a bit of hot glue.

Dragon lanterns are also a quick craft to make. There are options for ones that light up and they are great if you’re having a bunch of kids over for a playdate.

This one is great if you’ve got slightly older kids. But the design is a bit unrelatable for city kids since the scenes tend to be of rural village homes. But with a bit of creativity, you can adapt it to look like a festive traditional Beijing hutong.

This is the good stuff! They’ve already got designs on them, so it makes cutting out beautiful paper lanterns, words, etc. super easy.

If you’re going to hang things up, they might as well be hand crafted. These are easy peel-and-stick Chinese New Year designs that are great for kids and adults.

These are surprisingly hard to put together since it doesn't come with any clear instructions. But after a bit of trial and error, every single moment was worth seeing my little girl put on a dragon skit with her friend right in the living room. Who needs to go see CNY lion dancing when I've got my own personal dragon at home!?

Tip: Definitely reinforce it with some hot glue after you're done putting it together. 

Images: Taobao, Mina Yan, Pexels

Have You Seen Our Video Channel Yet?

Daily Poll

Have you ever pretended to send a text to the wrong person just to get their attention?

KEEP READING

Advertisement