As the Year of the Dragon draws near, get ready to dive into the lively spirit of Chinese New Year! Amidst the hustle and bustle of CNY preparations, we’ve crafted a special treat just for you: the 12 Chinese Zodiac Activity Pack.
Kids are always up for a story time adventure! Download the printable activity pack at the end of the article. With storytelling, acting, sequencing, and counting fun, let’s add a touch of cultural flair and math literacy to this year’s celebration!
Reading Fun: What is the story of the 12 Chinese Zodiac?
The story starts with the Jade Emperor, who was in charge of the celestial kingdom. He wanted to select 12 animals to be his guards, so he organised a race.
The Rat is a quick-witted little fellow. He hopped on the back of the strong Ox, and just jumped off when they reached the finish line. The Rat won the race and claimed the first year for itself.
Next up was the hardworking Ox, followed by the brave Tiger. After that, the kind-hearted Rabbit hopped into the fourth spot. Then, the mighty Dragon soared into fifth place, and the smart Snake slithered into sixth place.
After the Snake, the cheerful Horse trotted in, followed by the gentle Goat. The clever Monkey swung in as the ninth animal, while the proud Rooster strutted into the tenth spot. The loyal Dog claimed the eleventh year, and finally, the twelfth year belonged to the humble Pig.
And that’s how the Chinese Zodiac animals got their sequence! People believe that the animal of the year you were born in can tell a lot about your personality. Each year brings a new adventure, with the animals taking turns bringing their special qualities to make the years exciting and different.
Parent tip: Why isn’t the cat one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals? It is said that the Rat tricked the Cat and pushed it into the water, so the Cat couldn’t finish the race in time to get a ranking. Since then, the Cat and the Rat haven’t been friends. That’s why when a cat appears, rats run away in all directions.
Storytelling Fun: How to Tell an Exciting Story?
Gather the whole family to act out the Chinese Zodiac story as the narrator tells the story. Let your little ones explore movement as they mimic the playful characters!
Acting out the animals involves physical movement, enhancing spatial awareness in children. Whether they move around or arrange themselves in a specific order, this activity contributes to their spatial understanding—a crucial aspect of early mathematical reasoning.
Parent Tip: Join in the fun! Move and dance together to create a joyful and active learning environment
Sequencing Fun: How to Rank the Chinese Zodiac Animals?
Challenge your child to arrange the Chinese Zodiac animals in the order they appear using the printable emojis in our printable worksheet.
🐭🐂🐯🐰🐲🐍🐴🐐🐒🐓🐕🐖
This simple activity reinforces sequencing and numerical order, building a foundation for basic math concepts in a fun and interactive way.
Parent Tip: Ask your child if they agree with the sequence of animals and support their answer with a reason. You’ll be amazed by their creativity and unique perspective on the topic.
Counting Fun: What is the Ranking of the Zodiac Animal?
Explore counting skills and numeracy by using ordinal numbers to describe the order of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals is: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
The use of words like “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., introduces children to essential numerical vocabulary. Exposure to this language during the story time adventure supports mathematical literacy, preparing young learners for future mathematical concepts in an engaging and enjoyable manner.
Parent Tip: Ask your child to find everyday items around the house and put them in order using ordinal numbers for extra hands-on practice!
CNY 2024 Freebies: CNY Printable Worksheets and Sticker Pack
Download the printable activity pack here:
The order of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals is: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
Looking for more Chinese New Year freebies? Grab our Spark CNY 2024 Sticker Pack for WhatsApp and WeChat! Check out our blog article “Success and Great Luck in the Year of Dragon with Spark” for the download guide. Spice up your chats with family and friends now!
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