These free printable paper lanterns are a fun, hands-on way to celebrate Chinese New Year while learning about the Chinese zodiac. Using simple paper supplies, kids can turn these printable designs into bright, round paper lanterns that make lovely party decor, table decorations, or hanging decorations around the home or classroom. They work beautifully for Lunar New Year celebrations, the Chinese New Year lantern festival, or as part of a broader discussion about traditional Chinese culture.
Each lantern features a zodiac animal design, and we’ve included both full color and black and white versions. The color versions are perfect if you want a quick craft with instant results, while the black and white pages are great for adding your own color, patterns, and style before assembling the lantern.
How to Make the Chinese New Year Paper Lanterns
Start by printing your chosen paper lantern pages. You can use regular printer paper, but cardstock works especially well if you want sturdier lanterns that hold their shape.
Carefully cut out the lantern page and the side strip. The vertical dashed lines on the lantern are your guides. Fold along each dashed line so the paper starts to curve into a round lantern shape.
Once folded, bring the two short ends together to form a cylinder and secure them with glue or tape.
Next, attach the side strip along the edge where the lantern meets. This creates a neat finish and helps the lantern stay together. Once dry, your lantern is ready to display on a table, hang with string, or use as part of your Chinese New Year decorations. These lanterns look lovely grouped together and really bring a festive Lunar New Year feel to any space.
About Chinese Zodiac Animals
The Chinese zodiac is a repeating cycle of twelve animals, with each year represented by a different animal sign. These animals are an important part of traditional Chinese culture and are often explored during Chinese New Year celebrations. Each zodiac animal is associated with different personality traits, and many families enjoy learning which animal matches the year they were born.
Using paper lanterns to explore the Chinese zodiac is a great way to combine art, storytelling, and cultural learning. Kids can talk about the animals, notice similarities and differences, and begin to understand why lanterns, red colors, and light are so closely linked with the Chinese New Year festival of lanterns.
Related: Chinese Zodiac Animal Coloring Pages
What Chinese Zodiac is it This Year?
This year 2026 marks the Year of the Horse, symbolizing energy, movement, confidence, and forward momentum. As we shed the quieter, more reflective Year of the Snake, the Horse brings a feeling of action and progress, encouraging independence, enthusiasm, and positive change. It’s a lovely theme to explore during Chinese New Year, especially with crafts and activities that focus on movement, new beginnings, and looking ahead with optimism.
Chinese Zodiac Lantern Activity
This activity works well for home, school, or party settings. It can be used as a simple craft during a Lunar New Year party, as a classroom activity alongside lessons about Chinese traditions, or as a creative art project to decorate a room for the holiday.
The lanterns can be displayed as hanging Chinese lantern decorations, lined up along a table, or grouped together as a colorful lantern display.
As well as the full color versions shown below, we also have black and white coloring page versions for all of the Chinese zodiac lanterns within the PDF.
Chinese New Year of the Rat Lantern
The rat is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac. This lantern is a fun place to start when introducing the zodiac cycle, and it often sparks great conversations about why the rat appears first in traditional Chinese stories.
Chinese New Year of the Ox Lantern
The ox represents strength and reliability. This lantern works beautifully as part of a full zodiac set and fits perfectly into discussions about hard work and determination during the New Year.
Chinese New Year of the Tiger Lantern
Bold and eye-catching, the tiger lantern is always a favorite. Its bright colors make it stand out, especially when used as part of Chinese New Year red lanterns and party decor.
Chinese New Year of the Rabbit Lantern
The rabbit lantern has a softer, gentle look that kids love. It’s a nice contrast to some of the bolder animals and works well when talking about kindness and calm.
- Related: Healthy Rabbit Snack for Kids
Chinese New Year of the Dragon Lantern
The dragon is one of the most important symbols in Chinese culture and is strongly connected to Chinese lantern festivals. This lantern feels especially special and festive and is perfect for talking about traditional Chinese celebrations.
- Related: Paper Cup Chinese Dragon Craft
Chinese New Year of the Snake Lantern
The snake lantern adds variety to the set and helps complete the zodiac story. It fits naturally into lessons about the full cycle of animals.
- Related: Snake crafts for kids
Chinese New Year of the Horse Lantern
The horse lantern brings energy and movement to your lantern display. It looks great as part of a hanging Chinese lantern arrangement.
Chinese New Year of the Goat Lantern
The goat lantern has a friendly, approachable style that younger children enjoy. It pairs nicely with the softer color palettes in the set.
Chinese New Year of the Monkey Lantern
The monkey lantern adds a playful touch and is often a favorite for kids who enjoy imaginative stories and characters.
Chinese New Year of the Rooster Lantern
The rooster lantern stands out with its bold shapes and works well when discussing how each animal has its own unique role in the zodiac.
Chinese New Year of the Dog Lantern
The dog lantern feels warm and familiar, making it easy for children to connect with. It’s a great addition to any Lunar Chinese New Year lanterns DIY display.
- Related: Cute Dog and Cat Coloring Pages
Chinese New Year of the Pig Lantern
The pig lantern completes the zodiac cycle. It’s a lovely way to wrap up discussions about the twelve animals and how the zodiac repeats year after year.
- Related: Adorable Valentine’s Pig Craft
Re-enact the Great Race Game
You can also turn these zodiac paper lanterns into a fun, active game by re-enacting the Great Race. Choose 12 kids and give each child one animal lantern, then line them up and let them race to a finish point.
Afterwards, compare the order they finished in with the real Chinese zodiac order and see how close it is.
This is a brilliant way to bring the story behind the Chinese zodiac to life, mixing movement, imagination, and learning, and it works especially well for classrooms, parties, or Lunar New Year celebrations where kids need a chance to move and play.
Related: Chinese New Year Facts for Kids
Download the Chinese New Year Zodiac Animal Lanterns PDF
Download the full set of free printable Chinese New Year zodiac lanterns here. The PDF includes both color and black and white versions, so you can choose what works best for your space, time, and supplies.
Terms of use: These chinese zodiac lanterns are free for personal use and classroom use.
These paper lanterns are a simple but meaningful way to celebrate Chinese New Year. They combine crafting, cultural learning, and decoration into one easy activity that kids genuinely enjoy. Whether you’re decorating for a party, adding light and color to your classroom, or exploring the Chinese zodiac at home, these lanterns are a fun and flexible choice.
More Chinese New Year Activities
If you’re looking for more Chinese New Year ideas, we have lots of activities that explore traditional Chinese themes, colors, symbols, and celebrations. These pair perfectly with the lantern craft and help build a fuller Lunar New Year experience.
- Chinese New Year Secret Code Pictures
- Roll and Color Chinese New Year Printable Activity
- Toilet Paper Roll Koi Fish Craft for Lunar New Year
- Egg Carton Dragon Craft For Chinese New Year
More Lantern Crafts
We also have more lantern crafts for other themes and holidays. If you enjoyed making these Chinese lanterns, you’ll love exploring our other paper lantern ideas for different celebrations and seasons.
- Free Printable Nativity Lanterns for Kids to Colour
- Mason Jar Autumn Leaf Lanterns
- Easy Ramadan Lantern Craft with Printable Template
If you found this activity helpful, please consider sharing the blog post with friends, teachers, or anyone planning a Chinese New Year celebration. Sharing really helps others discover these free resources and keeps our printable library growing.
