The Year of the Rooster is about to begin, and children at the Bright Kids Nursery in Northfield are preparing for the festivities. Chinese New Year begins this weekend and youngsters at the Northfield setting are already putting their creative skills to good use by making Rooster masks, that they can wear next week. Sandra Thomas, senior nursery nurse, said they have a range of fun activities planned for the children. “All four rooms will have different arts and crafts activities in them based on the Chinese New Year,” she said. “We will also be talking to the children about the festival and how it is celebrated in China.”
Becky Fisher, nursery nurse at the setting, said they would be doing some fun food tasting with the children. “They will be able to try a range of Chinese food including spring rolls, prawn crackers, noodles and wontons – which are a type of dumpling commonly used in Chinese cooking,” she said. “This is usually one of the children’s favourite parts of the celebration as most of them enjoy Chinese food. They have been busy making rooster masks and I’m sure they will enjoy taking part in the festivities next week.”
Chinese New Year facts:
- The new year is marked by the Lunisolar Chinese calendar, so the date changes from year to year. This year it starts on Saturday and lasts until February 15th, 2018.
- The festivities usually start the day before the New Year and continue until the Lantern Festival.
- Each Chinese New Year is characterised by one of 12 animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac.
- Popular Chinese New Year Greetings include: “New Year goodness!” “Happiness and prosperity!” and “A steady rise to high places — on the up and up!”
- People born in the Year of the Rooster are characterised as honest, energetic, intelligent, flexible and confident.
- Famous people born under the rooster sign include Prince Philip, Joan Collins, Dolly Parton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Roger Federer, Beyonce, Eric Clapton and Yoko Ono.
