This vibrant and fully editable PowerPoint has been designed to help schools celebrate Chinese New Year 2026 in an engaging and culturally respectful way. Perfect for assemblies, cultural celebrations, RE lessons or tutor‑time activities, it introduces pupils to the traditions, symbolism and stories behind the festival.
The presentation includes:
An introduction to Chinese New Year and its significance
Key traditions, including decorations, family celebrations, food and red envelopes
The Zodiac focus for 2026, with age‑friendly explanations
Interactive discussion prompts to encourage pupil participation
Cultural stories and symbolism, presented in a clear, accessible format
Reflection questions to build understanding, curiosity and respect
Bright, student‑friendly visuals to support engagement
Ideal for both primary and lower secondary settings, this resource helps pupils appreciate the richness of Chinese culture while celebrating one of the world’s most important festivals.
Chinese New Year will be celebrated on Tuesday 17th February 2026
Attached is a fully updated Chinese New Year whole school assembly. I used something similar during an OFSTED inspection and the inspectors made a special mention about how interactive, inclusive and enjoyable it was … the school went on to achieve an ‘OUTSTANDING’ report.
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Duration of assembly: 15-20 minutes (approx.)
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Included in your purchase is a 27-slide PowerPoint to display and refer to whilst delivering your assembly AND an assembly manual.
The assembly begins by wishing the children ‘Happy New Year’ in Chinese … ‘Gong Hey Fat Choy!’ (on slide 2).
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PowerPoint contents:
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Slide 3: Some basic facts about China (ending with the fact that China is famous for Kung Fu).
Slide 4: A video of Bruce Lee performing some Kung Fu.
Slide 5: If you have a child(ren) in your school who practice Kung Fu, ask them to perform a small routine in front of the school … there is also some appropriate music on this slide for the child(ren) to perform to … just click on the picture and the music will begin.
Slides 6 - 9: These slides explain the Chinese Zodiac. It tells the children that it is the ‘YEAR OF THE HORSE’. On Slide 7, there is a link to a short Chinese New Year cartoon for the children to watch.
Slides 10 - 23: This is a lovely story for you (or some children) to read aloud … it’s about a family preparing for Chinese New Year. On slide 20 there is also a link to a dragon/lion dance video (attached).
Slides 24 - 27: Sing the song ‘Gong xi, Gong xi’ (which means “Congratulations!”). English lyrics/music provided PLUS Chinese lyrics/music too!
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HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 2026!
Red envelops numbered 0 - 10 to hide in provision and a sheet to record the answers.
I great fun matching activity and good number formation practice.
Pack includes a black and white version.
Envelopes alone can be used for number and counting activities.
Pack contains Phase 2 and Phase 3 tricky word cards with Chinese Zodiac animals to hide and 2 answers sheets with 6 Zodiac animals to find on each one.
Class Assembly & Resources: Chinese New Year 2026
Approximately 10 - 15 minutes long.
Suitable for 5 - 9 years.
Full script (Word and PDF), PowerPoint and music attached.
Also includes a small Tai Chi routine for a class to perform (slides 6 - 18).
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Main topics covered:
Chinese Zodiac.
Facts about China.
The Great Wall of China.
Tai Chi routine.
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I’ve also included 2 additional resources:
A CNY fact sheet and multiple choice questions.
A CNY booklet and activity.
Chinese New Year – Differentiated Reading Comprehension for Key Stages 2–3
Introduce your pupils to the rich cultural traditions of Chinese New Year with this engaging and educational reading comprehension resource. Designed to celebrate and explore the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, this pack includes two differentiated texts and a variety of activities to support learners at different reading levels.
Lower Level (Lexile 700–900; Key Stage 2, Years 3–5): A simplified version featuring clear, accessible language and straightforward sentence structures. This text introduces the origins and traditions of Chinese New Year, including the significance of zodiac animals, festive foods, and customs. Ideal for younger or less confident readers, it helps build comprehension skills while exploring this vibrant celebration.
Higher Level (Lexile 900–1100; Key Stage 2–3, Years 5–8): A more detailed and advanced text for older or more capable readers. This version explores cultural and historical aspects of Chinese New Year in greater depth, with sections such as “Origins and Legend,” “Preparation,” “Calendar,” and “Festival Period.” Perfect for pupils ready to engage with more complex ideas and language.
Both texts provide valuable insights into Chinese New Year customs, including the story of the Legend of Nian, the symbolism of red decorations, the spectacle of lion and dragon dances, and traditional foods that represent luck and prosperity.
What’s Included:
At each reading level, students will engage with activities designed to deepen understanding and reinforce learning:
Mixed-Style Question Sheets: Includes vocabulary matching, sequencing, cloze passages, true/false activities, and written response questions to foster critical thinking.
True or False Activities: Assesses understanding of the key cultural and story elements.
Multiple Choice Quizzes: Two versions for the higher level and one for the lower level to effectively assess comprehension.
Cloze Summary Activity: Strengthens vocabulary retention while reinforcing the text’s main ideas.
2 Crossword Puzzles: Fun, engaging activities that expand vocabulary and comprehension.
Traditional Written Comprehension Sheets: Double-sided for reflective practice, providing opportunities for deeper engagement with the text.
Answer Keys: Included for all activities.
Looking for more Lunar New Year resources? Check out
Chinese Zodiac Race: Reading Activities for Lunar New Year
Legend of Nian - CNY Story: Differentiated Reading
This is a fully editable, 36-question quiz on the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) which lasts for 15 days culminating in the Lantern Festival. The quiz is presented by two Chinese children.
This is a fun way to reinforce and consolidate the pupils' knowledge and understanding of the Chinese New Year. The resource contains links to the animated legends of how the Chinese came to have their calendar, New Year's Eve street firework displays, the Lion and Dragon Dance. the Festival of Lanterns and the story of Nian.
The quiz contains questions about:
The reunion meal
Chinese New Year decorations
Fireworks
Customs
Symbols
Preparations
Red envelopes
New Year's Eve
Street Celebrations - the Lion and Dragon Dance
The Lantern Festival
The quiz is appropriate for pupils of all ages and will contribute to the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning (SMSC). It will help to actively promote the British Values of mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
If you purchase this resource and are happy with it, please leave a review. As a token of appreciation, you can have a free resource up to the same value of your purchased resource. Just email inspireandeducate@aol.co.uk with your user name, the resource you have reviewed and the resource you would like for free.
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Chinese New Year Information Sheets and Comprehensions
This resource contains eleven texts and comprehension worksheets on the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival). The information sheets and comprehensions focus on the following aspects of the Chinese New Year:
- The Animal Zodiac and Chinese Calendar
- New Year's Eve
- New Years Day
- Door Decorations
- Symbols and Customs
- The Temple
- The Lantern Festival
- Red Envelopes
- The Lion and Dragon Dance
- Chinese Lanterns
These resources will contribute to the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning and help to actively promote the British Values of mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
More Chinese New Year Resources
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Chinese New Year Assembly – Editable PowerPoint with Teacher Notes | KS2
Celebrate the vibrant traditions of Chinese New Year with this fully editable assembly PowerPoint, ideal for KS2 learners. This engaging presentation introduces children to the origins, customs, stories, and celebrations of Lunar New Year in a way that is age-appropriate and culturally respectful.
Why Teachers Love It:
This assembly is designed to be informative, accessible and engaging for primary-aged pupils. Whether used in a full-school assembly or classroom lesson, it encourages curiosity, cultural understanding, and celebration.
Perfect For:
Whole-school or year group assemblies
KS2 RE and PSHE lessons
Multicultural events or themed days
Display or discussion starters
Chinese New Year 2026 Assembly and Resource Pack:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13144547
The British Council’s Year of the Horse education pack contains classroom resources focusing on China and designed to help introduce primary school children to some of the differences and similarities between the lives and culture of people in the UK and China.
The pack was produced by the British Council in connection with the IOE Confucius Institute for Schools. It is also available in Welsh.
For more information, to access supporting materials and to download individual chapters, please visit http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/projects-and-resources/year-of-the-horse
This is a Chinese New Year themed worksheet on locating coordinates in the first quadrant. Tasks include locating the coordinates of all the Chinese Zodiac animals.
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Coordinates in The First Quadrant Worksheets
This resource contains a set of 5 Chinese New Year animal zodiac themed worksheets on finding and locating coordinates in the first quadrant. Answers are provided.
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