Roll and Color Chinese New Year Printable Activity

Celebrate Chinese New Year with a unique, engaging activity that combines learning, creativity, and math!

Our Chinese New Year Roll and Color worksheets are a fantastic way to introduce kids to Mandarin Chinese color words, practice basic addition, and have fun while doing it.

This free printable activity is perfect for classrooms, teachers, and parents looking for a meaningful and playful way to explore Chinese culture with children.

How to Use the Roll and Color Worksheets

This activity is simple to set up and full of creative possibilities. Start by rolling two dice, then add the numbers together. Match the sum to the color chart provided, which includes Mandarin Chinese color words, characters, and pronunciations. Kids can then choose a part of the picture to color using the corresponding color.

What makes this activity stand out from traditional color-by-number worksheets is the element of choice and uniqueness.

Rather than following a rigid pattern, every child’s picture will look different depending on their rolls and choices. Plus, as they roll and color, students are practicing addition in a fun, game-like way!

Chinese New Year Roll and Color Worksheets

Let’s take a closer look at all the pages included in this free printable set! Each worksheet celebrates a unique aspect of Chinese New Year, helping kids learn about the traditions and symbols of this festive season while practicing math and colors.

Girl in Traditional Chinese Attire

This page features a smiling girl dressed in beautiful traditional Chinese attire. It’s a wonderful way to introduce children to the vibrant clothing often worn during Chinese New Year celebrations, symbolizing happiness and good fortune.

Lucky Cat (Maneki Neko)

The lucky cat, or Maneki Neko, is a popular symbol of good luck and prosperity in Chinese culture. Kids will love coloring this cheerful figure, which is often displayed in homes and businesses during special occasions to attract fortune.

lucky cat Chinese New Year coloring page

Chinese Lantern

This worksheet highlights the iconic Chinese lantern, a symbol of light, hope, and celebration. Lanterns are a central part of Chinese New Year, especially during the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the holiday.

Gold Coins

Here we see a pattern of traditional Chinese gold coins, which represent wealth and good luck. These coins are often part of festive decorations and are associated with abundance and prosperity for the year ahead.

Dragon Mask

The dragon mask is a nod to the famous dragon dance, a lively performance that symbolizes power, strength, and good luck. Kids can imagine the energy of this cultural tradition as they color in the detailed design.

Red Envelopes (Hongbao)

Red envelopes, or hongbao, are a cherished tradition during Chinese New Year. They’re typically filled with money and given as gifts to children and young people as a blessing for happiness and prosperity.

red envelopes Chinese New Year color page

Firecracker

This worksheet features a firecracker, a staple of Chinese New Year celebrations. Firecrackers are used to ward off evil spirits and bring in good luck for the year. Kids will love coloring the exciting bursts of energy in this design.

Though more common in Westernized Chinese culture, the fortune cookie adds a fun and modern twist to this traditional set. Kids can color the fortune and imagine what positive message might be hidden inside.

Learning Chinese Colors

Colors are a great starting point when introducing a new language, as they’re easy to learn and immediately useful.

These worksheets include a separate full page print out with the Chinese words for colors, along with their pinyin pronunciations and characters, helping children become familiar with Mandarin in a playful context, as well as being included on the bottom of each roll and color page.

Here are the colors included:

粉色 (fěn sè) – pink
红色 (hóng sè) – red
橙色 (chéng sè) – orange
黄色 (huáng sè) – yellow
绿色 (lǜ sè) – green
蓝色 (lán sè) – blue
紫色 (zǐ sè) – purple
白色 (bái sè) – white
灰色 (huī sè) – gray
黑色 (hēi sè) – black
金色 (jīn sè) – gold

These color words are perfect for introducing kids to the basics of Mandarin Chinese and can serve as a stepping stone for further learning.

Examples of Finished Work

One of the best parts of this activity is how unique each finished piece will look. Unlike color-by-number worksheets, where everyone’s work is identical, the Roll and Color worksheets allow children to make creative choices and explore different results.

Every finished picture becomes a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that reflects each student’s rolls and preferences. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate individuality and creativity!

Here are a few examples of some different results – but yours could look totally different!

Download the Free Printable Chinese New Year Roll and Color PDF

You can download the Roll and Color worksheets below.

Terms of use: These Chinese New Year Color Worksheets are free for personal and classroom use only and not for commercial use. Please don’t redistribute the files directly; instead, link to this blog post if you’d like to share them with others.

More Chinese New Year Activities for Kids

Looking for more ways to celebrate and learn about Chinese New Year? Check outcome of our other engaging activities and printables, perfect for introducing children to Chinese culture and traditions in a fun, hands-on way.

Chinese New Year Secret Code Pictures

Chinese New Year Shaker

If you found this activity helpful and fun, please share this post with others! It helps us continue creating free, educational content for families and classrooms. Happy Chinese New Year!

How to Use the Roll and Color Worksheets