Week 6 

Chinese New year  

Good Morning Nursery, this week we will learning all about Chinese New Year! 

During half term, millions of people will be celebrating Chinese New Year. The reason the new year falls at this time is because it marks the start of the lunar new year, which is when there is the start of a new moon.  

The date of Chinese New Year actually changes each year because it depends on the moon. 

Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival. 

It is the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. 

In Chinese tradition, each year is named after one of 12 animals, which feature in the Chinese zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. 

So the animals will have a year dedicated to them once every 12 years, in a cycle. 

This year is the year of the Ox 

Literacy 

Watch this story all about how the animals got their place in the Chinese calendar.

Numeracy  

Look at these numbers. Practice writing some Chinese numbers in a tray of salt or sand using a paintbrush or your finger. You could even try using some black paint and a thin paint brush! 

Busy Box  

You can create a busy box from any container filled with items that you can find around the home such as pom poms, buttons, or building blocks. Busy boxes are a great way to entertain younger children, while also developing fine motor skills and encouraging independent exploration 

Here are some ideas:  

Magnetic Letters  

Sort your letters by colour.  

Group your letters. 

Write your name using your letters.  

Pom Poms  

Sort your pom poms by colour.  

Sort your pom poms by size.  

How many different groups can you make with your pom poms?  

Use your pom poms to write your name. 

Draw or paint a pattern onto paper or card. Copy the pattern using your pom poms.

Buttons 

Sort your buttons by colour. 

Sort your buttons by size. 

Sort your buttons by shape. 

Thread your buttons onto string to 

create a bracelet. 

Thread your buttons onto pipe 

cleaners to create trees. 

Building Bricks 

Sort your bricks by colour. 

Sort your bricks by size.  

Create something using only 10 bricks. 

Write your name using your bricks. 

Create something using an odd number of bricks. 

Knowledge and Understanding of the world 

Before the festivities begin, people clean their homes really well to make them ready for the celebrations.

Then, when New Year's Day comes, there is a tradition not to pick up a broom, in case you sweep the good luck for the New Year out of the door! 

Fireworks are also set off, because it is thought that noise and lights will scare away any evil spirits for the coming months. 

Adults might give red envelopes to children with money inside too. 

The festivities continue for two weeks, finishing with a special lantern festival, which signals the end of the New Year celebration period. 

There will be parades and performances, with people dressed in traditional clothes. 

Watch this video of a Chinese dragon dance.

Creative 

Have a look at this wonderful PowerPoint which shows you how to make a paper fan.

Singing / Yoga