Chinese New Year - The Year of the Horse - Crafts

In 2014, Chinese New Year starts on January 31. In the Chinese calendar, it is the year 4711, and the Year of the Horse.  The saying for the Chinese New Year is "Gung hay fat choy".  It means "May you become prosperous".

Here are some fun craft ideas to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

1) Paper Bag Horse Craft

Materials:

• a paper lunch bag
• a printer,
• some crayons,
• scissors,
• glue,
• paper for the printer

Optional:

• big wiggly eyes
• paper bags are brown so don't need to be painted for a horse, but you're welcome to paint your bag whatever color you would like your horse to be!
   
• PRINT THE TEMPLATE: 
• Look at your paper bag.
• It should be closed and flat like a piece of paper.  Just like when they are brand new.
• On one side, it's all smooth.  This will be the BACK of your puppet
  • It's important that all the kids get the back and front straight at the beginning!
• On the other side there's a flippy tab (which is typically the bottom of the bag when you're carrying your lunch around...)
  • This flippy tab will be the HEAD
• Lift the flippy tab up a bit.  Underneath of the tab will be the mouth,
• When the child puts her hand in the bag, she'll be able to make the puppet talk
• Look at the rest of the front of the bag.  (The 3/4 or so of the bag below the part with the flippy tab)  This will be the BODY.
• Look at the sides of the bag.  There should be a FLAP of paper. 
  • We'll be slipping the arms (template 2) into this flap.
  • If the kids goof and glue the arms onto the front or back of the bag, it isn't a big deal.
• Glue the muzzle (nose) onto the HEAD.  It should overlap the body quite a bit.
• Glue the mouth underneath the flippy tab so you can see part of the bottom sticking out from under the muzzle.
• Glue the eyes onto the HEAD.  If you like, you can use wiggly eyes instead of the paper template pieces.
• Glue the ears onto the top of the HEAD.
• Glue the hair onto the top of the HEAD between the ears.
• Glue the arms into the FLAP.
• Glue the tail onto the BACK so that the colorful side can be seen when looking at the puppet.
   

2)  Horse Head Silhouette or Stained Glass Paper Craft

Portraits and scenes cut from paper date back to ancient Greece.  The word silhouette comes from the Frenchman Etienne de Silhouette who lived in the early 1700's.  He was famous for his black and white silhouette portraits.
If you prefer, you can make this as a tissue paper stained glass craft!

Materials:

• printer
• printer paper
• scissors
• glue,
• Stained glass option also requires:  tissue paper in various colors and waxed paper.

Instructions:

• Print the horse head template.
   
• Cut out the horse head.  This may require adult assistance for young children.
   
• Print the border

Instructions:  Horse Head Silhouette

• Glue the horse head onto a piece of white paper.
    
• Center the black border so the horse head touches the bottom, left corner and glue on the border.
   
• Trim any white that is sticking past the edge of the border

 Instructions:  Horse Head Stained Glass

• Cut out a piece of waxed paper at least as large as the border (you can always trim it smaller later, so make sure it is large enough).
   
• Tear different colors of tissue paper into pieces (I think it looks better when you tear them than when you cut them, but if your child is practicing scissor skills, feel free to cut!)  You can make little squares or long strips like we did.  Whatever you think looks pretty!
   
• Glue (or mod podge) the tissue paper to the waxed paper, make sure you overlap the colors a little.
   
• Let dry.
   
• Practice positioning your horse head and border so you know about where they need to be placed.
   
• Glue the horse head onto the "stained glass".
   
• Glue the border over the craft so the horse head touches the left side, bottom of the border.

 For more Chinese New Year crafts click here.

This Blog was written by Angela Hickman - mother of 2, momstown Milton member and blogger - Mommy Time Out