In today's blog post, Bryony Duckit from YogaBeez will introduce you to the benefits of…
The Lunar New Year is on the 12th of February.
I have fond memory of celebrating by eating a Chinese meal as a child. My parents used to explain to me that the New Year, in many Asian countries, was starting on different day that in Europe. We had fun discovering our animal zodiac sign. Cooking exotic food, in the 80' and 90' was a rare occurrence. And we used to have access to Asian food in the supermarket only around that time of the year.
I am so glad that it's much easier to introduce my children to the diversity of this world.
In the classroom, I used to introduce the Asian continent folders in January as to spark an interest in Asian culture. We used to display many Chinese and Asian inspired activities and we used to celebrate by having some Chinese snacks.
Note that like many of you, I'm sure, I used to say "Chinese New Year". As it's not just a Chinese holiday, it's best to called it Lunar New year as it's celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese, Korean, Tibetan, Mongolian, Ryukuan and other Asian communities.
I have spotted this beautiful book on Momtessori mom Instagram account. And I couldn't resist sharing it with you. It's on pre-order and will be out on the 18th of February.
Although it is not a book about the Chinese festival, it's a great book to add to your collection in order to talk about how beautiful every child is, no matter the shape of her eyes.
"A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her peers'. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her grandmother's, and her little sister's. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future.
Drawing from the strength of these powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self-love and empowerment. This powerful, poetic picture book will resonate with readers of all age".
Look how stunning it looks like!
Round-up of Montessori ressources for Chinese/Lunar New Year:
- Crafts from Red Ted Art.
- A list of Asia free printables on Montessori Nature
- Free Mandarin Chinese 0-10 Number Flash Cards on Twinkl
- Books from Yes Bebe
I really like these two books:
The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac
Meet Lin Yi ― a little boy with a big heart and a talent for bargaining. He wants to buy himself a red rabbit lantern at the market for the moon festival tonight; but first, he must buy the things his mother needs. Will he be able to save enough money on his mother’s needs to buy the lantern? This heartwarming story shows the practical use of math in everyday life and the rewards of putting others first. Features educational notes at the end about the Chinese moon festival, life in rural China and the legend of the moon fairy.
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Do you celebrate festivals that are not part of your family/country traditions? Do you celebrate the Lunar New year?
Let me know in a comment.
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