Chinese New Year Parade of Dragons

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| 18 Ratings

Ages 6 and Up

Duration: Under One Hour

Celebrate Chinese New Year with a Neighborhood Parade of Dragons! Read More

WHAT YOU NEED

For each mask and tail:

HOW TO DO IT

For the Dragon Mask:

Print out template.
Clean and dry the NESQUIK lid.
Cut out the pieces of the dragon's face from the colors of craft foam indicated on the template.
Using the template as a guide, assemble the face of the dragon onto the NESQUIK lid, securing them with a craft glue gun.
Cut 6 strands of yellow ribbon to measure 12 inches in length. Glue 3 strands to each side of the dragon's face, attaching them on the inside of the lid.
Cut 2 strands each of blue, red and green ribbon. Glue them all to the back of the lid, on the top middle part of the dragons face.
Paint a jumbo craft stick red with acrylic paint.
Hot glue it to the back of the lid, about 2 inches up from the bottom of the dragon's face, leaving most of it to use as a handle.

For the tail:

WHAT TO DO

Line up all of the "dragons" to march in their own Chinese New Year Parade!
Check your newspaper or go online to see where Chinese New Year festivities and parades will be held in your area. Take your children, and their Dragon Masks, to watch a professional parade.
Play 'Catch the Dragon's Tail':
- Form a dragon by placing the children in a long line (8 to 10 children is best).
- Have the children place their hands on the shoulders of the child in front of them.
- The first child in line is the head of the dragon, the last in line is the dragon's tail.
- The object of the game is for the head of the dragon to catch the dragon's tail without breaking the body or chain.
- If the head catches the tail with the body remaining unbroken, they continue being the head and the next person in line becomes the tail.
- If the body breaks before the tail is caught, the head then becomes the tail and the next child in line becomes the head of the dragon. This goes on until everyone has a turn.

TIPS

After each child has had a turn being the head and tail of the dragon, pass out Chinese fortune cookies and let everyone read their fortunes to each other.

FOLLOW UP FUN

Sit down with the children to share the meaning and traditions of Chinese New Year (see Talk to your Kids About Chinese New Year).

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