This year’s Chinese New Year doesn’t have to be just another school holiday where you’re busting your brain trying to keep the kids occupied within Beijing’s city limits. It could be a great opportunity for some family fun and learning as you put together a cool CNY-themed building set, play Chinese board games, or make your own lion dance costume for a little performance at home! 

LOZ Spring Festival building blocks

Don’t mistake these for LEGO! LOZ is a German company with a factory in Guangdong, the toy-production capital of the world. They are responsible for the Brickheadz Marvel Avengers collection as well as your favorite Disney and anime characters.

This CNY, they have several ancient Chinese-style building sets that depict CNY celebrations in traditional homes! There are three sets in total that come together to form a CNY festival scene complete with fireworks and spring blossom trees. Suitable for ages 8 and up, but younger kids should be fine handling the blocks under adult supervision. Prices start from RMB 49 to RMB 269 in the Mini-Program below.

Spring Festival gift boxes

A comprehensive way to introduce and celebrate CNY, these gift boxes typically contain puzzles, games, red envelopes, stickers, and some crafts like paper lanterns.

In this RMB 149 gift box developed by the Dunhuang Research Institute and Shanghai Art & Film Company, there are three boxes of puzzles, each suited to a different difficulty level so kids of all ages can get involved.

Much like the LOZ sets, all three come together to form one long Chinese scroll depicting a traditional story about the Lunar New Year. The paper lantern in this set is also another pretty piece, showing the sacred deer on one side and the Monkey King on the other as several layers are assembled together.

The gift box itself is cleverly designed to function as the board for the board games included in the set. There are rules and instructions but the games look relatively straightforward. Otherwise, get creative and come up with your own gameplay!

Scan the QR code below to purchase!

DIY Lion Dancing kit

Love it or hate it, lion dance is an inescapable part of CNY celebrations. But you don’t have to sit by as a mere spectator this year, you can actively take part by making your very own lion dance prop!

This kit from Taobao will let you create your own environmentally-friendly cardboard lion dance head with a few folds here, plus a nip and a tuck there… Then the kids can put on a lion dance show for the family in the living room – heck, fire up that FaceTime and get your friends and family from abroad involved – sans the ear-bursting drums which were always my least favorite part of the performance.

They also make super cute wall or ceiling decorations for this festive Chinese New Year season!

KEEP READING: Kids Camps for CNY Holiday Fun!

Images: Pexels, Courtesy of the vendors

The beijingkids team and True Run Media would like to wish you and your family a happy Year of the Dog!

Chunjie is a wonderful time of year for all to take a break from the hustle and bustle and focus on the things that truly matter. We hope that you can make, in addition to an abundant amount of dumplings, new memories with your family during this holiday season.

In Chinese society and cultures around the world, dogs are a favored domestic animal because they are loyal to their owners. Direct and frank, a dog does not pay much attention to superficial details, likes to be spontaneous, is honest, and finally makes for an excellent friend who is always by your side.

We at beijingkids hope to personify these canine qualities in 2018, providing more unbiased, family-friendly journalism and will remain by your side this Lunar New Year and in the years to come, continuing to be a helpful tool for you and your family to make the best of all the beautiful opportunities Beijing has to offer.

Photo: Dave’s Studio