Monday, January 23, 2012

Happy Chinese New Year!









We're looking forward to a wonderful year of the dragon. Clean homes with blooming flowers in vases will bring good fortune through the year.
Firecrackers were invented in China. They are lit throughout the 15 day festival.
Here is a nice little string of paper firecrackers to make.

First, give each child a pretzel stick (not to eat just yet!), several pieces of red paper that are about 3 inches by 5 inches and a 2 foot piece of string.
Roll a piece of the red paper around the pretzel stick. Tape it.
Use a small awl and piece of carpet felt from a paper punching activity to punch a hole through the center of the tube (firecracker).

Tie a knot at the end of the string. Push the other end of the string through the hole in each "firecracker" to make a "string of firecrackers"!
Hang them around the room.