The “Guidelines” point out that kindergartens should “use folk games to appropriately introduce the ethnic cultures of the main ethnic groups in China to young children, helping them perceive cultural diversity and differences”. It can be seen that the education of inheriting ethnic culture in kindergartens has become increasingly important. The twelfth lunar month has arrived, and the Spring Festival is not far away. On the occasion of the Spring Festival, today we have compiled 12 authentic traditional parent-child games to welcome the New Year. These 12 folk games are meaningful and interesting for interpreting New Year folk culture and utilizing folk elements effectively. Traditional and creative Spring Festival games can also bring joy to New Year’s garden parties, parent-child interactions, and more.
1、Zodiac squatting and squatting music
12 high stools, 12 zodiac headpieces, and 12 screaming chickens. A game is played in groups of twelve people, with parents holding their children and playing squat music games. Each time, they have to sit down and make a loud “scream chicken” sound. The wrong family exits the game, and the family that persists until the end wins.
2、Raise the big red lantern high
Lantern hanging competition: Children aged 4-6 can play this game with their parents and hang red lanterns for decoration together in kindergarten or at their own homes, making the festive atmosphere even more lively! Make small lanterns for the competition with your child in advance, or purchase more than ten decorative New Year lanterns directly.
Stick a sticky hook on each side of the door frame in the classroom (you can purchase ready-made sticky hooks or use adhesive tape to stick the hooks on). Place the small lantern at a certain distance from the door. Divide the lantern into two equal parts, and the competition begins! Parents and children hang lanterns on the sticky hook on the left side (lanterns must be hung by children, parents can only assist), and the one who hangs the lantern first wins. During the lantern hanging competition, only one lantern can be taken at a time. The farther the lantern table is from the door frame, the greater the child’s activity intensity, which can be determined according to the child’s actual situation.
It can cultivate children’s interest in exploring and expressing the world, experience hands-on joy in making lanterns, and help children understand that creativity comes from life and is used in life.
3、New Year’s painting doll
Several red circular instant stickers, 4 eye masks, 4 lipsticks (with eyebrows), 4 red bellybands, and several chairs. Three groups of family competitions, with children sitting on chairs and parents wearing eye masks sitting across from them. At the sound of the whistle, parents blindfolded their children and covered their faces with red face balls, drew red dots on their eyebrows, and put on red bellybands. Take parent-child photos with the ‘New Year’s painting doll’ and feel the joy of the New Year.
4、Fortune has arrived
Four balls, four lucky characters (with magnetism), and two blackboards. Children and parents use a head to head or back-to-back approach to cross various obstacles, transport the ball to the finish line, obtain the character “fu”, dribble back to the starting point, and place the character “fu” upside down on the blackboard. The family with the fastest speed wins.
5、Setting off firecrackers
Several blown small balloons and some floor mats. Parents place their feet, knees, and hands on the floor mat to prepare for push ups. At the beginning of the game, children need to place balloons anywhere between their parents’ bodies and the mat, and the parents quickly inflate the balloons. The family that completes the balloon quantity task first wins.
6、There are fish every year
Several small rainbow umbrellas and fish dolls. The nursery rhyme “A little fish swims, wagging its tail and nodding, sometimes up and sometimes down, finding many good friends.” Parents hold “rainbow umbrellas” to create waves, and children learn to swim under the rainbow umbrella. When the last sentence of the nursery rhyme is recited, parents lift the rainbow umbrella and cover it to the ground (net fish). At this time, children need to find the small fish doll under the umbrella and rush out of the rainbow umbrella without being caught by the net.
7、Send rice dumpling
Several newspaper balls, water bucket bombs or several paper baskets that can be carried on the chest, starting line. The child stands on the starting line and throws it into the water bucket in front of the parent’s chest. The parent must move their body behind their hands to catch the newspaper ball (not crossing the finish line). Within the specified time, the family with more newspaper balls in the water bucket in front of the parent’s chest wins.
8、Eat rice dumpling
Several homemade ‘big mouth’, several newspaper balls, and several eye masks. Several groups of families played games together, blindfolded their parents, and turned around three times. The children stood at the finish line of the “throwing suit”, called their parents to walk towards themselves, or instructed their parents to walk towards themselves with words. Finally, they fed “Yuanxiao (Filled round balls made of glutinous rice-flour for Lantern Festival)” (round paper ball) into the “little frog’s mouth”, which was successful.
9、Guessing lantern riddles
Several lanterns and riddles. Hanging lantern riddles with numbers on them. Children can guess at will, remember the numbers, and check the answers with the teacher. You can complete the game.
10、My lantern beauty
Several star lanterns, various colored paper, scissors, adhesive and other tools. Parent child creative lantern decoration, experiencing the joy of the New Year.
