Chinese New Year Fun With Pom Pom Panda Bears

Chinese New Year begins February 1 and there is no better way than to user in the year of the Tiger than with a cute and easy craft project. Whether you’re a teacher, a homeschooling parent, or just in search of something fun to do, our Panda Bear Pom Poms are sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face and are the perfect way to kick off the year in style. Did you know that the Panda Bear is a symbol of peace and friendship for the Chinese people?  But just how do these adorable yet endangered creatures tie into Chinese New Year? Chinese New Year is, by far, the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. The literal translation of the modern Chinese name is the Spring Festival. The celebration follows the Chinese Calendar and runs from Chinese New Year’s Day itself, the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar.

The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old. Traditionally, the festival was a time to honor deities as well as ancestors. Regional customs and traditions vary widely. Often, the evening preceding Chinese New Year’s Day is an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner. It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts with popular themes of “good fortune” or “happiness,” “wealth,” and “longevity.” Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.

So where does this tie into pandas? Chinese New Year is observed as a public holiday. For keepers at the Wolong and Bifengxia panda reserves, this is often the only time during the year that they are away from the base with family. What many don’t realize is that the keepers work seven days a week and live at the reserves caring for the Pandas.  While some keepers have moved their families to the base as well (when both adults work for the reserve for instance), many live away from their families for the vast majority of the year and the Chinese New Year holidays are the primary time they are free to leave the reserve to visit their family.

During these holidays, other keepers come to the reserve to fill in – ensuring the pandas receive high-quality continuous care through the holidays as well. Now you can bring make your symbols of peace and friendship with our cute and easy to make Pom Pom Pandas and let the Chinese New Year Celebration begin!

Pom Pom Panda

Materials:

• White pompoms – 1 large, 1 medium, and 1extra small
• Black pompoms – 4 small and 2 extra small
• Black felt (~1.5” square)
• Googly eyes
• Liquid Glue (tacky glue works best)
• Scissors

Instructions:

• Glue 4 small black pompoms to large white pompoms to form body and legs.

• Glue extra small pompoms to medium white pompoms to form head, ears, and nose.

• Cut out two ovals and one small triangle from felt, and glue eyes to the ovals.

• Glue body and face to head

How will you celebrate the year of the Tiger this year and what other Pom Pom crafts are your favorites?