Make Your Own Dragon Puppet for the Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year celebrations are held in mid-January or February. Chinese people celebrate with the greeting "Gung Hay Fat Choy" which means "We Hope You Get Rich". Chinese people all over the world celebrate the New Year.

Did you know that during the Chinese New Year everyone turns a year older, regardless of when their birthday was? This festival is the most popular celebration in China and lasts fifteen days. Chinese people call it the Spring Festival.

The Kitchen God is honored during the Spring Festival. Chinese people clean their houses in detail and put up pictures of the Kitchen God. Honey is rubbed on their lips. They want the Kitchen God to report nice words about their family to the gods in Heaven. People visit friends and family during this time and wish them health, good luck, and happiness.

A parade is held on the last day of the New Year which is led by a dragon that is 100 feet long which is constructed of bamboo and silk. It takes 50 men and performers to stand underneath the dragon and hold it! In China, the dragon represents good luck, strength, and success.

To make your own dragon puppet, gather up these supplies: red & white construction paper, wiggly eye, glue, scissors, craft stick, tape, crayons, and a gold marking pen.

First, take the red construction paper and fold it in half lengthwise. Cut the paper in half.

Fold one half of the paper accordion style. This will be the dragon's body. Cut a dragon head, tail and flame for dragon breath from the other half of the red construction paper.

To make horns, use the white construction paper.

Glue all the pieces together.

Glue on the wiggly eye.

With the gold marking pen draw scales on the dragon. Add sequins, glitter, or felt scraps, tissue paper, or cellophane and make your dragon puppet as colorful as possible. Color the dragon. Make it flamboyant with bright colors. Make it to fit your personality. Maybe a collage of old Chinese stamps or paper with calligraphy can be your medium!

Tape the craft stick to the dragon's body.

Put on a puppet show with your puppet dragon as the leader. Your dragon puppet can perform a dragon dance! Have your friends make some other parade puppets and be sure to chant the formal greeting "Gung Hay Fat Choy."