Chinese Festivals and Holidays for Kids: Books, Activities, Dates
Thanks to great books and activities, my kids and I are having fun learning about Chinese festivals and holidays. To help your children learn about Chinese culture, I’m sharing our favorite resources about the Lunar New Year, Mid Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and more!
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Official Chinese Holidays and Festivals: Dates, Books, Activities
The most important traditional Chinese festivals are the Lunar New Year, Lantern Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Winter Solstice. These are official public holidays in China and Taiwan.
Since the dates vary from year to year based on the Chinese calendar, I’ve included the next date of each holiday below.
Chinese Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year is the most famous Chinese Holiday! Also known as Spring Festival (春节 / 春節 / Chūnjié), this holiday marks the start of a new season.
In China and Taiwan, the Chinese New Year is a 15-day celebration that starts with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later on the first full moon.
The next Chinese New Year starts on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Get ready to celebrate with fun books and activities!
- The 20 best Chinese New Year books explain the zodiac animals, the lucky red color, the legend of the Nian monster, lion dances, and other ancient traditions.
- Teachers and parents love sharing our Chinese New Year crafts and activities with their students and children!
- Enjoy Chinese LEGO Sets that celebrate Lunar New Year traditions and more.
Chinese Lantern Festival
The Chinese Lantern Festival is the last day of the Lunar New Year.
As the name suggests, lanterns are a key part of this celebration. Lanterns are everywhere, decorating buildings and streets while children have fun walking around with their own lanterns.
The next Chinese Lantern Festival is Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
- Read the beautiful children’s book Playing with Lanterns in English or Chinese.
- With our convenient template, kids can learn to make Chinese paper lanterns in one minute!
Qingming Festival
In English, Qingming Festival is known as Tomb Sweeping Day. This day is reserved for visiting, bowing, and cleaning the tombs of beloved ancestors. The next Qingming Festival falls on Friday, April 5, 2025.
Learn how to say grandma, grandpa, and other Chinese family member names through this simple matching activity.
Dragon Boat Festival
Chinese Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the life and death of the famous scholar 屈原 (Qūyuán). 屈原 was a poet and an important official in China. Banished into exile by the emperor for perceived disloyalty, 屈原 drowned himself in the Miluo River.
In an attempt to rescue 屈原, people rowed boats and threw 粽子 (zòngzi / sticky rice) into the river to prevent the fish from eating 屈原‘s body.
Although this holiday has somber origins, it has become an opportunity to spend time with family and friends. Modern traditions include dragon boat racing and eating 粽子, sticky rice filled with various foods wrapped in leaves.
The next Dragon Boat Festival falls on Monday, June 10, 2024.
- Dragon Boat Festival books are a great way for kids to learn about the holiday.
- If your child is more of a visual learner, watch these Dragon Boat Festival videos in English or Chinese.
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节/中秋節/zhōngqiū jié) is almost as popular as the Chinese Lunar New Year! When Chinese and Taiwanese people celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, they enjoy delicious mooncakes, colorful lanterns, and a bright full moon.
During this time of year, people share popular folktales about 嫦娥奔月 (Cháng’é ascending to the moon) and 玉兔捣药 / 玉兔搗藥 (Jade Rabbit making the elixir of immortality).
The next Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
- The best Mid-Autumn Festival books feature authentic Chinese traditions.
- Have fun making playdough mooncakes or eating real ones.
- Since the Mid-Autumn Festival is based on the lunar calendar, it’s also a great time to learn about moon phases.
Chinese Winter Solstice Festival
In Chinese culture, the Winter Solstice Festival (冬至节/冬至節/冬至節) falls on the shortest day and longest night of the year.
The next Chinese Winter Solstice Festival is Saturday, December 21, 2024. It marks the start of the “Nine Nines of Winter” — a period of nine days after which winter ends and spring begins.
Dumplings and tangyuan are important foods for this holiday. Have fun celebrating these Dongzhi Festival Activities with kids!
