Toilet Paper Roll Chinese New Year Crafts

Today is Chinese New Year, one of the most important holidays in the Chinese culture.  The celebration begins on the first day of the first month of the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with a lantern festival on the 15th day.  Here are a few crafts you can make to celebrate in your own home!

Toilet Paper Roll Dragon

Cardboard Tube Fire Breathing Dragon

Toilet Paper Roll Chinese Lantern

Cardboard Tube Dragon

 Dragon Supply List: 1 toilet paper roll, glue, glitter marker or paint, google eyes, scraps of green and red paper, scissors

 Begin by painting or coloring your toilet paper roll.  We found these glitter markers on sale at Target.  They were much messier than I expected, but Cole had fun using them and loved the sparkles.

 Cut out feet, wings, tail and a tongue/fire from your scrap paper.  We had some extra time so we colored on our dragon parts using the glitter markers.

 Using a pair of sharp and pointy scissors (adults only please) cut a zig zag mouth out of the dragon.

 Glue on your eyes and other body parts and allow to dry.

Cute!  The red thing hanging out of his mouth was supposed to be fire, but Cole thought it looked more like a tongue, so we'll go with that.

Book Suggestion: Another favorite dragon book by another favorite author.  The Knight and the Dragon by Tomie dePaola pits what should be two formidable opponents against each other, but the outcome is not what you would expect.  A delightful read for pre-school kids.

Toilet Paper Roll Fire Breathing Dragon

 Dragon Supply List: 1 toilet paper roll, red tissue paper, scissors, paint, google eyes, glue, 2 beans, pom poms

 Start by painting your toilet paper roll green and allow to dry.

 Cut your tissue paper into long strips.

 Glue the strips of tissue paper into the inside of the painted toilet paper roll.  Add your beans for nostrils.  Glue google eyes to the pom poms and then glue them on top of your toilet paper roll. 

 

Book Suggestion: Dav Pilkey became a favorite author of mine way back when I taught middle school.  A Friend For Dragon is a funny book that is silly and endearing all at the same time.  Your little dragon will love this book.

Toilet Paper Roll Lantern

 Lantern Supply List: 1 toilet paper roll, paint, hole punch, glue, ribbon or string, tissue paper, utility knife

 Paint your toilet paper roll and allow to dry.

Using your utility knife cut slits around the toilet paper roll.

Squeeze your toilet paper roll so that the cut pieces bend outward.  Use your hole punch to put 2 holes in the top of your toilet paper roll.  Add ribbon or string.

Cut your tissue paper into strips.  I let Cole do this part independently so his pieces were jagged and uneven, but he loves cutting and it's his craft, so I don't mind.

Glue your tissue paper around the inside bottom of your toilet paper roll.

Book Suggestion: I love the book Lin Yi's Lantern because not only does it show children a glimpse into Chinese culture and market life, but more importantly to me, it shows how making unselfish choices in life will be rewarded.  This is a great book that prompted some wonderful discussions in our home.