Chinese New Year

Before half term, Ducklings class were learning about Chinese New Year. They explored how this special festival is a time for family gatherings, food, decorations and wishing one another good fortune for the year ahead.

The children learned about the Chinese zodiac story and discovered that some of us were born in the Year of the Rat and the Year of the Ox. We also found out that this year is the Year of the Horse. This supported our understanding of similarities and differences between ourselves and others, linking to Understanding the World in the EYFS curriculum.

During our COOL Time, the children explored traditional red envelopes and coins. They enjoyed placing coins into the envelopes and giving them to one another, developing their Personal, Social and Emotional Development skills through turn-taking, sharing and role play. This also supported Mathematics, as the children counted and handled real coins.

Our classroom was decorated with festive red and gold decorations and we shared a range of storybooks about Chinese New Year traditions. These experiences developed our Communication and Language skills as we learned new vocabulary and talked about celebrations in our own families.

We also prepared a special celebratory banquet. The menu included noodles (which symbolise long life), carrots, ginger and garlic, prawn crackers and traditionally eaten oranges. The children carefully peeled carrots and explored the smells of ginger and garlic before adding them to our dish. This hands-on cooking experience supported Physical Development, Expressive Arts and Design, and encouraged descriptive language as we talked about smells, textures and tastes.

To end our celebrations, we enjoyed watching traditional dragon dances and learning about how these performances are believed to bring good luck. This sparked lots of excitement and curiosity.