Ni hao!
新年快乐 Xinnian kuaile!
COMING UP!
Here are the details for next week’s live blether sessions. As always, please join us whenever you can if your group’s designated time doesn’t work for your family.
| Tuesday 16.02 @11am | BLUE + PINK GROUPS (Apples) |
| Tuesday 16.02 @1pm | ORANGE + AQUA GROUPS (Bananas) |
| Wednesday 17.02 @1pm | RED + YELLOW GROUPS (Apples) |
| Wednesday 17.02 @2pm | GREEN + PURPLE GROUPS (Bananas) |
Today marks Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated by billions of people across the world. Maybe you are celebrating or you know someone who is. Why don’t you send them a special message today?
A. 
Join Abbie and her brother who live here in the UK as they celebrate Chinese New Year. What do they do? What do they wear? What can you see? What new facts have you learned?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/watch/chinese-new-year
B.
Houses are cleaned out for a fresh start and entrances to the home decorated with red decorations that signify “good fortune” or “happiness”, “wealth”, and “longevity”. Why don’t you help with some cleaning today then create an interesting decoration for your front door? You may not have any visitors at the moment but it will make you smile every time you return home from a walk or it can be enjoyed by passers by. It doesn’t have to be red. Here are some ideas:
C.
Paper lanterns are a popular decoration. Why don’t you develop your fine motor and design skills by making one of your own? Maybe you could even light it from within with a battery-powered tealight.
Here is what you will need to make the paper lanterns:
- heavy coloured paper (red is a traditional colour for Chinese New Year)
- Scissors
- A ruler
- A pencil
- Tape
- A stapler
- Glue, glitter, stickers, markers, paint, sequins, and other things to decorate your lantern.
Here is how to make your lantern:
- Fold your sheet of paper in half lengthwise.
- With your pencil and ruler, draw a line lengthwise on the paper one inch from the top of the unfolded edge. This is your “do not cut line” that marks where you stop cutting.
- Now, take your pencil and ruler and draw lines one inch apart from the folded edge to the do not cut line.
- Cut the paper along the lines to the “do not cut” line.
- Now unfold the paper. If you flip it over and re-crease the fold in the opposite direction you can hide your pencil marks.
- Roll the paper into a cylinder and tape the narrow edges of the paper together where they meet. The middle of the lantern will flare out at the crease.
- Cut a one-inch-wide strip from the narrow end of another sheet of coloured paper for your lantern’s handle. Use the stapler or tape to affix the handle to the top of the lantern.
- Add decorations: stickers, glitter, paint, markers, crayons, and more can be used to make your lantern your own.
D. 
We learned that red is thought to be a colour which brings luck and happiness. That is why many of the decorations at Chinese New Year are red. Do you have a favourite colour? Does it make you feel happy to see that colour or have toys or clothes in that colour? Why don’t you draw a picture, make a Lego model or create something else today using only your favourite colour(s). We would love to see how they turn out!
E. 
We have recently talked about how food is an important part of many special family celebrations and festivals. Have you ever eaten any food that is popular in China? Do you know any recipes for Chinese style food? Why don’t you try something new this week?
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search/recipes?q=chinese
F. 
In Britain it is traditional for many people to use cutlery like knives and forks to eat but in other countries and cultures people might use their hands or other tools. Do you know which traditional tool Chinese people use to eat? Yes, chopsticks! Why don’t you try to eat a meal or snack using chopsticks?
Perhaps you could use them in a game to pick up Lego bricks or try an activity like this pompom game. Try to lift as many poms poms as you can, without dropping them. Put them into tubs/ cups/ cardboard tubes. How many can you manage 1,5, 10…more? Good luck!
G. 
Each new year in the Chinese calendar is named after one of 12 animals. Some people believe the year you were born in means that you share some of the traits of that animal.
For hundreds of years, stories have been told about how the animals were chosen and what they represent. As is the way with old stories that are told over and over again, sometimes the details can change a little. What do you think about the way the rat won the race? What would you have done?
H. 
2021 is the year of the ox. The Ox is the second animal in the Chinese Zodiac. As we saw above, it is second, because, during the legendary race the Ox was kind, and gave the Rat a lift on its back. Only then to be cheated of his win, by the Rat jumping off his back and ahead of the Ox in order to secure first place. A cunning Rat, and a trusting Ox.
What do you know about this animal in real-life? Can you find out from a book or by looking on the internet?
I. Can you try and write some numbers in Chinese characters rather than numerals or words?
Maybe you would like to learn how to say the numbers or other words in Chinese (Mandarin). Look and listen here:
J. Here are some other links you may wish to follow:
https://www.starfall.com/h/ir-chinese/?sn=im-reading
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/curations/chinese-lunar-new-year
