Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Celebrations · The activity desk
Dancing paper dragon
Make a paper dragon and move it in waves, inspired by Chinese dragon dances.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
One sheet of paper and large child-appropriate crayons.
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: Lay the paper lengthwise on a table, with space to move it around.
Adult's role: Stay beside the child and help with the folds. Explain that dragon dances are sometimes performed during Chinese New Year.
Let's make it happen
- Draw a dragon face at one short end of the paper and decorate the rest as its body.
- Fold the paper back and forth in broad folds, leaving the face visible at one end.
- Hold the face and tail, then gently move them up and down to make the dragon dance in waves.
Make it simpler: Use a flat decorated sheet as the dragon and move it together.
Clean up: Put away the crayons and save or recycle the paper dragon.
Keep the movement gentle and leave room around the child.