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This week St Michael's have been celebrating Chinese New Year and have been learning about the forthcoming celebration in many exciting ways. 

In Mandarin Club, Mrs Tsang talked to the children about Chinese New Year and how to celebrate the year of the dragon. Dressed in traditional Chinese costumes, the children learnt special new year greetings and how to gift a hóngbāo (a red packet). They also had a go at making play-doh dumplings, making traditional Chinese decorations and learning Chinese calligraphy with a Máo-Bǐ (a brush pen).

Mrs Crane taught pupils how to do the traditional dragon dance. The dragon represents good luck and performing the dragon dance ushers away any evil spirits. 

Reception enjoyed an interesting lesson with Mrs Tsang, where they learnt all about the origins of Chinese New Year and how it is celebrated. She asked the children if they knew what Chinese zodiac sign they were born to (2018-Dog, 2019-Pig). The children dressed up in traditional Chinese costumes, tried on lion costumes and had fun performing a dragon dance. 

On Thursday, the Catering Team treated us to a tasty themed lunch. The food on offer included vegetable spring rolls, radish and sesame soy noodles and pickled Asian vegetables. 

Kindergarten and Nursery have also been embracing Chinese New Year by taste testing different foods. The food tried included prawn crackers, noodles, rice and sweet chilli sauce. The children even had a go at using chopsticks. 

Chinese New Year is on Saturday 10th February and is celebrated for 15 days. Some of the children will be participating in the London Chinese New Year parade from Trafalgar Square through to China Town on Sunday 11th February 2024. Please come and celebrate with us!

新年快乐！

Happy Chinese New Year!