While February may be the shortest month of the year, it sure is packed with many events! If you’re looking for a Chinese New Year activity for kids and toddlers, here is a fun one that will also prepare them for using chopsticks. Hello, dim sum!
Transfer activities are especially popular in the Montessori philosophy. They provide children with the opportunity to develop fine motor and concentration skills as they focus on mastering the new challenge presented to them. In addition to these important skills, this Lunar New Year chopstick transfer activity is a great opportunity to teach French vocabulary, including the names of the fingers in French and verbs such as “open” and “close”.
Setting up the activity
Disclosure: Please note that I have included Amazon affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a commission (at no extra cost to you).
All you need to set up this activity are:
| Chopsticks | des baguettes |
| Red pompoms | des pompons rouges |
| Egg carton | un carton d’oeufs une boîte à œufs |
I recommend using training chopsticks for this activity. Not only are they an easier introduction to chopsticks, but they also come in fun designs that are appealing to kids. As your child gets more comfortable and confident using chopsticks, you can take off different parts to suit your child’s level.
I placed all the items in a tray and showed Surya how I place my fingers into the training chopsticks. Then, I demonstrated how to carefully pick one pompom at a time, hold it between the chopsticks, and drop it in a compartment.
Verbal instructions (optional)
If you want to use this activity to further enhance their French vocabulary and listening skills, you can also verbally describe the steps.
We open the chopsticks.
On ouvre les baguettes.
We close the chopsticks.
On ferme les baguettes.
We grab the pompom and drop it here.
On prend le pompom et on le dépose ici.
Since the helper chopsticks have three spots where your child inserts their thumb, index finger, and middle finger, it’s also a perfect opportunity to review the names of the fingers in French.
| Thumb | le pouce |
| Index finger, pointer | l’index |
| Middle finger | le majeur |
| Ring finger | l’annulaire |
| Pinkie | l’auriculaire |
You can even review counting in French!
Chinese New Year activity for kids
Then, invite them to try the activity! My daughter had a great time transferring the pompoms to the egg carton. She then began to transfer them back, which was a little more challenging since some of the pompoms got slightly lodged in the small compartments. If your child is enjoying themself and wants to try other items or colours, you can really customize this activity for even more fun while learning.
