Chinese New Year is the perfect time to bring culture, language, creativity, and joy together in your classroom. Instead of memorizing vocabulary lists or doing the “same old” cultural activities, these seven creative lesson ideas invite students to explore, design, perform, collaborate, and think deeply about tradition and meaning.

This CNY lap-book includes several key learning components. Students create a “My Horse” section, where they personalize their own horse and describe it - perfect for vocabulary such as body parts, actions, colors, and simple sentences.

Lesson 5: A Simulation - Trip to China does exactly that by turning your classroom into an immersive, low-prep travel experience. Through role-play, movement, visuals, and simple language routines, students “travel” to China and participate in authentic Chinese New Year customs in a joyful, memorable way.