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Seasonal

Chinese New Year Dragon Craft

Make a paper bag dragon for Chinese New Year — a paper bag puppet for the head, a concertina paper body, and tissue paper details. Can be used as a puppet or display item.

Seasonal Ages 4–945 minsEasyIndividual
Watch on YouTube Search: "Chinese New Year dragon craft kids paper bag tutorial easy" — video tutorials from popular craft channels

What you'll need

  • Paper bags (one per child)
  • Bright red, gold, and green tissue paper
  • Coloured card for details
  • Googly eyes
  • PVA glue and brush
  • Green and red paint

How to do it

  1. Paint the paper bag in the main dragon colour (red or green).
  2. Scrunch tissue paper and glue around the bag as scales — layer red and gold.
  3. Cut eyes, nostrils, and teeth from card. Add googly eyes. Glue on.
  4. For the body: cut a long strip of paper (tape several together). Fold into a concertina.
  5. Attach body to the bottom of the bag head.
  6. Add tissue paper flames from the mouth.
💡 Tips Works beautifully as a class display with all 30 dragons hung from the ceiling. Connect to the Chinese zodiac — which year is it? What animal did each child's birth year belong to?

Books and materials

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Books about Chinese New Year

Materials