Best Lunar New Year Activities and Books for the Classroom

Lunar New Year has been celebrated for thousands of years in countries all over the world. People spend the last 15 days of the old year cleaning, preparing, and settling debts. On the eve of the new moon, a special feast is prepared. Then, the first 15 days of the New Year are spent celebrating with dancing, firecrackers, and parades. In 2025, Lunar New Year begins Wednesday, January 29, and celebrates the Year of the Snake. Here are some of our favorite Lunar New Year books and activities for the classroom.

Be sure to request your printable copy of this list, so you can easily share it with your students!

1. The Year of the Snake: Tales From the Chinese Zodiac by Oliver Chin

In this tale, Suzie the Snake is a young, adventurous creature. A girl named Lily befriends Suzie, and her grandparents disapprove. Suzie sets on a mission to disprove others’ negative stereotypes and opinions about snakes. 

Activity: According to the Lunar 12-year animal zodiac cycle, the Chinese year beginning in 2025 is the Year of the Snake. After reading the book, have students create a paper accordion snake. Have students write at least three facts on the flaps of the snake about what they learned about the Year of the Snake or the Chinese Zodiac. 

Buy it: The Year of the Snake: Tales From the Chinese Zodiac

2. Tomorrow Is New Year’s Day: Seollal, a Korean Celebration of the Lunar New Year by Aram Kim

Mina is excited to share the customs of Seollal, or Korean New Year, with her friends at school. Her little brother may also join in on sharing. Join Mina and her brother to explore some of the traditions of Korean New Year.

Activity: Lunar New Year is celebrated by a variety of different Asian and South Asian communities. Follow the instructions at the back of the book for how to make a Korean bokjumeoni (lucky pouch) out of construction paper or origami paper. 

Buy it: Tomorrow Is New Year’s Day: Seollal, a Korean Celebration of the Lunar New Year

3. Dragon Dance: A Chinese New Year Lift-the-Flap Book by Joan Holub

This lift-the-flap book explores many of the traditions of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration. Explore some of these traditions, including shopping at the outdoor air market, eating Chinese New Year dinner, receiving red envelopes, and attending the Chinese New Year parade. 

Activity: The Dragon Dance is typically performed at Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. Have students utilize toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls and construction paper to create their own dragon. Then use this video to have them practice using their dragon to perform the dragon dance!

Buy it: Dragon Dance: A Chinese New Year Lift-The-Flap Book

4. A Sweet New Year for Ren by Michelle Sterling

Young Ren is excited to celebrate Lunar New Year. However, Ren is sad that she is always considered too young to help make the pineapple cake. She watches her family preparing the cake, wondering when she will be old enough to help. Learn more about Ren, her family, baking traditional pineapple cake, and other family Lunar New Year traditions in this story.

Activity: To mark the Lunar New Year, Taiwanese people often celebrate by baking and eating pineapple cake. After reading the story, make your own pineapple cake by following this recipe. If you are unable to incorporate food activities in your classroom, have students research and learn about other traditional Taiwanese foods.

Buy it: A Sweet New Year for Ren

5. Tet Together by Alice Trinh

This book explores the many traditions of Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. This holiday contains many important family traditions rooted in reflection and time spent together. Learn more about the preparation that goes into Tet and the many festivities that follow. 

Activity: Tet is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. After reading the story, have students select their favorite tradition explained in the book, research that tradition, and write/draw a picture explaining that tradition. Create a classroom book with each student’s entry.

Buy it: Tet Together

6. The Lucky Red Envelope by Vikki Zhang

This lift-the-flap book, told from a child’s perspective, explores the many rituals of Chinese New Year, including the red envelope. Join in as the family prepares the house for Lunar New Year, watches fireworks, bakes dumplings, and watches lion dances and dragon dances. The back of the book contains lift-the-flap information on the Chinese Zodiac. 

Activity: In Chinese tradition, the red envelope (紅包, hóngbāo) is given to children on Lunar New Year to symbolize good wishes and fortune for the year ahead. Have students construct their own red envelope out of construction paper, write down three to five wishes for the year ahead, and place them in the envelope.

Buy it: The Lucky Red Envelope

7. Let’s Celebrate Korean New Year! by Michelle W. Park

Join Madeline and Eloise as they prepare for their family’s Lunar New Year party. Madeline shows her younger sister how to prepare, from dressing in traditional hanbok to making mandoo (Korean dumplings). 

Activity: The Korean New Year (Seollal) is filled with many traditions. After reading the book, select one of the activities in the book to do as a class. You could gather fabrics to create the colorful outfit called hanbok and make mandoo, Korean dumplings, or find or create your own yutnori, a traditional board game.

Buy it: Let’s Celebrate Korean New Year!

8. Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin

Newbery Award honoree Grace Lin peeks into the life of a Chinese American family as they prepare for the Lunar New Year. Every family member helps sweep out the dust of the old year, hang decorations, and make dumplings for the great feast. Then it’s time to celebrate with fireworks, lion dancers, shining lanterns, and a great, long dragon parade at the end!

Activity: This book explores the many traditions of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration. Have students create their own paper lanterns and host a lantern parade!

Buy it: Bringing in the New Year

9. Chinese New Year Colors by Rich Lo

In this bilingual book, learn about the many traditions of Chinese New Year. The book introduces each color in English and Chinese, including the Chinese character, along with an illustration of an item or event important in the Chinese New Year tradition.

Activity: This bilingual book introduces students to the many traditions and words associated with Chinese Lunar New Year. After reading the book, create a class dictionary of words and traditions they learned. Have students write the word in both English and Chinese and help students to find how to write the corresponding Chinese character. Have each student illustrate the word or tradition.

Buy it: Chinese New Year Colors

10. Friends Are Friends, Forever by Dane Liu

Set in northeastern China, this book explores the friendship of two children. Dandan and Yueyue are spending the night together before Dandan moves to America. Explore how these two friends celebrate traditions and make memories before they part. A great book to discuss the topic of immigration and friendship. 

Activity: This story highlights traditions that friends share together. After reading the story, have each student write and draw one New Year tradition they enjoy celebrating with their friends and family. 

Buy it: Friends Are Friends, Forever

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Plus, check out our favorite ideas for Black History Month and Presidents’ Day.