One of my go-to activities with my preschoolers is creating Chinese Lanterns for Chinese New Year.

This template is easy to use—download, print, decorate.

With the help of an adult, cut the dotted lines and assemble. Add a handle if you want to hang the lanterns around the centre or home.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese lanterns are an integral part of Chinese New Year celebrations, and they carry deep symbolic meanings during this time.

Here’s how Chinese lanterns are used and their significance during the Chinese New Year:

1. Welcoming the New Year

Chinese New Year marks the beginning of a new lunar year. Lanterns are often used to decorate homes and streets. They celebrate this fresh start. The bright light from the lanterns symbolizes the hope for prosperity, happiness, and good fortune in the coming year.

2. The Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival (元宵节) is the highlight of lantern celebrations. It takes place on the 15th day of Chinese New Year. This festival marks the end of the New Year celebrations and is characterized by the display of colorful lanterns.

Families come together to admire the lanterns. Communities also admire the lanterns. They are sometimes in the shape of animals, flowers, or other auspicious symbols. People also write riddles on lanterns for others to solve, adding a fun and interactive aspect to the festival.

3. Aesthetic Celebration

The lanterns themselves are a beautiful display of art and creativity. They are often made in elaborate designs and vivid colors. Red is the most common color because it symbolizes luck and prosperity. However, lanterns can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

This creates a vibrant and festive atmosphere throughout the celebration.

Ways to Use this Template

1. Print on coloured paper and let children colour in then cut and assemble.
2. Print on white cardstock paper and let children explore creating lines with watercolours and paint brush.
3. Print on cardstock paper and let children paint and add glitter to the opposite side of the template. Once dried, you will have the template lines there to use.
4. Use extra paper or cardstock to create a handle.

I hope your preschoolers enjoy this FREE printable activity book!

>>>Click this link to get your FREE Chinese New Year Paper Lantern Template<<<<<

For more Chinese Festival Printables CLICK here<<<<<<