Today we celebrated Lunar New Year at Everglade Babies. Our tamariki enjoyed participating in a variety of learning experiences.
They began by making and decorating paper lanterns with kaiako. These lanterns were then hung around the centre. In Chinese culture, lanterns symbolise letting go of the past year and welcoming the new year with good fortune.
Tamariki also took part in mat time, reading children's books in Mandarin translated into English. As this year is the Year of the Horse, children created mosaic patterns on horse templates. This was a great way to further develop their fine motor skills as they carefully picked up and glued small pieces of paper onto the templates.
Another activity they enjoyed was Chinese Lucky Tiger stencil painting on red paper. Red paper symbolises luck and joy, and when the tiger is designed on it, it becomes a powerful symbol of good fortune. This art experience is traditionally used during festival occasions such as Lunar New Year, representing strength, protection, and prosperity.
To make the occasion even more meaningful for the children and their whānau, kaiako wrote the children’s names in Chinese calligraphy.
Tamariki also participated in a zodiac animal matching activity. The Chinese zodiac follows a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by a different animal and connected to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. This activity helped children learn about the zodiac animals and their characteristics.
No celebration is complete without traditional food. Kaiako, tamariki, and whānau enjoyed a variety of Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, including Chinese fried rice, noodles, and spring rolls shared at lunchtime. One of our Vietnamese mums also prepared Vietnamese sticky rice, Vietnamese spring rolls, and red fruits to share.
She shared that she wanted her child’s friends to try sticky rice because it is beneficial, energy-dense, and easy for babies to hold, helping support self-feeding while introducing new textures safely.
We appreciate everyone’s contribution that helped make this special celebration a success.
中国和越南农历新年庆祝活动
今天，我们在 Everglade Babies 托育中心庆祝了农历新年。孩子们兴致勃勃地参与了各种学习活动，并一起品尝了丰富的文化美食。老师和实习老师们精心策划并组织了一系列有意义的学习体验。
孩子们首先和老师一起制作并装饰纸灯笼，然后把灯笼挂在中心的各个角落。在中国文化中，灯笼象征着告别过去的一年，迎接充满好运和希望的新一年。
在阅读时间，老师们带领孩子们阅读中文儿童绘本，并用英文进行简单讲解。由于今年是马年，老师们还组织孩子们在马的模板上制作马赛克图案。孩子们拿起小纸片粘贴在模板上，这个活动很好地锻炼了他们的精细动作能力。
孩子们还体验了在红纸上进行传统吉祥虎图案的拓印绘画。红色象征着好运与喜庆，而老虎图案则代表力量和守护，因此这种艺术形式常常出现在农历新年等传统节日中，寓意吉祥和幸福。
为了让庆祝活动更加特别，老师还用中文书法写下了每个孩子的名字。孩子们也参与了生肖动物配对活动。中国生肖以十二年为一个周期，每一年都由一种动物代表，与中国传统农历密切相关。通过这样的活动，孩子们能够更好地了解十二生肖以及不同动物所代表的特点。
庆祝活动当然少不了传统美食。老师、孩子们和家长们一起分享了各种中国和越南美食，包括中国炒饭、面条和春卷。一位越南妈妈还准备了糯米饭、越南春卷和红色水果与大家分享。
她表示，希望孩子的朋友们也能尝试糯米饭，因为糯米饭营养丰富、能量高，而且方便宝宝抓握，有助于培养自主进食能力，同时也是帮助婴幼儿安全尝试不同食物口感的一种方式。
我们非常感谢每一位为这次特别庆祝活动付出心意和努力的人。