The start of the Chinese New Year is fast approaching and if you’re looking for ways to learn a little about the festivities and celebrate with your kids, then a great way to start is to get inspired by a book. We’ve been searching the shelves and put together our pick of the best Chinese New Year books for toddlers and preschoolers.
our pick of the best Chinese New Year books for toddlers and preschoolers
We’ve included a mix of fiction and non-fiction board and picture books with great illustrations that will make great gifts for kids and add to their book basket this year.
You are reading: Chinese new year books for toddlers
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Looking for crafts to do with the kids to celebrate Chinese New Year? then check out these tiger crafts for kids, especially for the year of the tiger 2022
joan holub dragon dance
All toddlers and preschoolers love lifting the flaps and this accurate book has some fantastic flaps to lift and reveal different aspects of the celebration as you head to Chinatown and celebrate the Lunar new year with the Dragon Dance: A Chinese New Year Lift-the-Flap Book also includes a Chinese Zodiac wheel at the back – I remember colouring in one much like it when I was in primary school.
my first chinese new year by karen katz
Follow along as a child discovers the family traditions of the Chinese New Year in this fact-based tale My First Chinese New Year My First Holiday giving you an ideal opportunity to ask whether you would like to do any of the traditions in your own home as well.
celebrate chinese new year: with fireworks, dragons and lanterns – national geographic kids
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The National Geography Series is always a good bet when it comes to books. The pictures are vibrant and they can and will be useful for many years to come. Celebrate Chinese New Year: With Fireworks, Dragons, and Lanterns is my first choice for non-fiction books and if you are only going to get one about the lunar new year then this would be it.
bringing in the new year by grace lin
As well as connecting with the characters children love to learn about family life and Bringing In the New Year by Grace Lin, tells of the whole family readying themselves for the Lunar New Years. It gives an insider look at what families do to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
dim sum for everyone! by grace linn
Learn about the foods and one of the traditions of this festival in the book Dim Sum for Everyone! it inspired us to search for some recipes and raid the supermarket to try some food. One of our favourites to try and make was this Chinese New Year Dumplings recipe it’s perfect to cook with kids.
chinese new year printable games
You love printables, then check out our selection of fun printable Chinese New Year games for kids.
chinese new year printable games
You love printables, then check out our selection of fun printable Chinese New Year games for kids.
Chinese New Year holidays and festivals
Unlike many of the books on the list, Chinese New Year Holidays and Festivals is an educational book aimed specifically at Preschoolers with bright colourful real pictures that tell the children all about the festival and the traditions around it. Head to the parade and watch the lion dancers as they go through the different aspects of the celebrations.
chelsea chinese new year by lisa bullard
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When children can connect with the characters in the story, maybe because they have the same name, they are the same age or they are doing something they really want to do it can help bring the story to life for them. Chelsea in Chelsea’s Chinese New Year is allowed to stay up late one thing that both of my kids always wanted to do.
Happy, Happy Chinese New Year! by demi
30 days of celebration – did you know I didn’t but this wonderful book Happy, Happy Chinese New Year! by Demi goes through the 15 days of preparation to end the current year and then the 15 days following the start of the New Year. As an adult, I loved finding out these traditions that I hadn’t heard about before.
chinese zodiac animals by sanmu tang
Tell me you haven’t looked up which Zodiac animal you were born under and then the traits of those! I was born under the sign of the Horse and when my kids learnt about the Chinese New Year they were told which sign they were born under and then the meaning of it – Chinese Zodiac Animals has all of the information and you can see how accurate it is for your children. It includes the story of the great race and is a fantastic way to learn about ordinal numbers as well.
the chinese new year of poop luck by virginia log-hagan
For a lot of children, the way that they learn about cultural traditions especially when they live outside of their culture is through older relatives visiting. In PoPos Lucky Chinese New Year a young girl’s grandmother visits and tells tales of traditions and the history of the Chinese New Year.
the fugitive wok: a chinese new year tale by ying chang compestein
Part of the new year celebrations is about generosity, the red envelope is one way that it is expressed but not the only way, this fun tale The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale is funny and helps to teach about this part of Chinese New Year which with the festivities can sometimes be forgotten.
chinese new year activities for toddlers and preschoolers
If you’re looking to combine some activities and crafts with these books for your Chinese New Year celebrations, check out these easy ideas that are great for your little ones.
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- make a chinese new year paper lantern with your little ones
- look at the chinese writing and practice some marks in our chinese new year salt pan activity
- play a fantastic chinese new year ispy free printable game