Teaching About Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year follows a lunisolar calendar—tracking both the moon’s phases and the Earth’s position around the sun—–and takes place between late-January and mid-February, after the Gregorian calendar’s new year on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. It’s recognized across Asia and the Asian diaspora with a 15-day celebration. But it’s not the only new year tied to a lunisolar calendar; there are multiple alternatives to the Gregorian system. Lunar and solar calendars and other ways of measuring time exist for historical, geographical, ancestral and seasonal reasons. 

Here is a sampling of how different cultures mark the new year. 

Lunisolar and Lunar Calendar New Years

• Lunar New Year, sometimes called Chinese New Year, Soellal (Korean) and Tết (Vietnamese), is a two-week celebration beginning Feb. 17 this year. It recognizes the arrival of spring and is marked by parades, familial traditions and a Lantern Festival. The lunar calendar’s 12 months inspired the Chinese Zodiac’s 12 animals.
• Muharram is the first month of the Hijri (Islamic) calendar and is determined by the sighting of the new crescent moon. It is observed as a solemn period of reflection. In 2026, the new year is expected to begin June 16, marking 1 Muharram 1448.
• Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year, a two-day holiday celebrated in the fall that marks a fresh start. In 2026, it begins at sundown on Sept. 11, marking the beginning of the Hebrew year 5787.
• Diwali, the “Festival of Lights,” represents new beginnings and is a multiday celebration in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. In 2026, celebrations begin Nov. 8 and also mark the new fiscal year for India. 

Solar Calendar and Spring New Years

• Nowruz, “new day” in Persian, recognizes the first day of spring as the beginning of the new year on Mar. 20, 2026. In various ways, Nowruz is celebrated in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Uzbekistan and by many communities across the Middle East, Central Asia and beyond.
• Songkran, a Thai water festival, is a solar new year that celebrates water as a symbol of cleansing and renewal. In 2026, the multiday celebration begins April 13. Songkran refers to the sun’s annual movement into the Aries constellation.
• Enkutatash, meaning “gift of the jewels,” is the Ethiopian New Year and celebrates the ancient return of the Queen of Sheba as well as the start of new life and the end of the rainy season. In 2026, it will fall on Sept. 11.

How Can Teachers Explain Lunar New Year to Students? 

Activities for Teaching About Lunar New Year

If you are looking for resources to expand students’ understanding of Lunar New Year, here are several classroom-ready activities to try. You can also read my previous Lunar New Year blog to learn about the red envelope exchange, Nian the Beast and Lotus & Feather read by Michelle Yeoh at https://sharemylesson.com/blog/lunar-new-year-lesson-plans.

Animals

Lunar New Year is often associated with the Chinese Zodiac, a 12-year cycle with each year representing a different animal with corresponding personality traits. The animals, in order, are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig (Boar). 

According to legend, the order comes from how quickly these animals swam across a fast-flowing river in a challenge known as the Great Race, declared by the Jade Emperor, in order to measure time. If you want to find which animal corresponds to your birth year, look here and here. This year is the Year of the Horse, which is often associated with energy, enthusiasm, freedom and adventure. 

Crafts

Hands-on activities offer an engaging, kinetic way to learn about celebrations like Lunar New Year. For this paper lantern activity, use red paper (representing good fortune and happiness) and gold (representing prosperity and a bright future). Together, these colors express a hopeful wish for the year ahead. 

Folklore

Learning about traditions through storytelling inspires empathy and offers a creative way to connect across cultures. Be sure to watch this Lunar New Year story about Nian the Beast—a scary creature said to threaten people and livestock on the last day of the lunar year in centuries gone by.  

Music and Dance

Performances such as dragon and lion dances are festive highlights in Lunar New Year parades. The loud sounds from drums and cymbals are traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits.  

Food

Food traditions provide insight into identity, geography and connections to the past. You can share or prepare dishes commonly associated with Lunar New Year, such as dumplings (symbolizing wealth) and long noodles (symbolizing longevity). These lessons serve as a springboard for exploring students’ own personal family food traditions. 

Note: if you have any allergies, you could swap out peanut butter for sunflower seed butter and use coconut aminos in lieu of soy sauce

Understanding the Lunar and Solar Cycles

A lunar calendar is about 10-11 days shorter than the 365-day Gregorian solar year. Build background knowledge about the moon’s phases and Earth’s movement with these resources:

However you and your students measure the passage of time, I wish you not only moments for reflection and resolution, but also opportunities to celebrate community and learn together through shared traditions.