Welcome the 4711, the Year of the Horse! Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is an important celebration in many Asian cultures. Family members often travel great distances to be together over the 2 weeks of the festival. There are many amazing traditions associated with Chinese New Year, and they can be a great way to introduce children to some of the culture of the Far East. This year it runs from January 31st to February 15th, but it is slightly different every year.

The APIA Pinterest page, http://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/ has all kinds of crafts, games and recipes to try. You can also go to http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/chinesenewyear/ for other ideas. One thing that I remember from when I was little myself, was learning what the animal was when I was born. There is a 12 year cycle, each represented by an animal that supposedly embodies traits people have who are born under that sign, similar to the zodiac many Westerners are familiar with. I am a Dragon, as is my husband, and my children are Dog, Tiger, and Dragon, so you can imagine the ruckus around here most of the time! Often, au pairs aren’t familiar with this concept, and it is as much fun for them to learn about as to teach to the kids! The Enchanted Learning page I linked to above has a chart with all the animals laid out.

A quart of fried rice and some fortune cookies from the nearest Chinese take-out can be served out while people are making dragon puppets or paper lanterns, making an evening out of it for everyone.

Gung Hay Fat Choy (“May you become prosperous”) is the traditional greeting.

Have fun!