What is a Chinese Dragon?

Imagine a super long and colorful dragon that’s not scary but more like a big, friendly parade dragon. Well, that’s a Chinese dragon! It’s not like the dragons in stories that breathe fire and roar. This dragon is all about fun and celebration.

Chinese dragons’ heads are like camels, paws are like a tiger’s, and necks are long and snaky. And instead of breathing fire like most people think, Chinese dragons usually breathe clouds.

Chinese dragons are special and loved in China. They’re like magical creatures that bring good luck and happiness. During big festivals, people dance with these dragons. The dragon has many people holding it up on sticks, dancing and twisting in the air. It’s like a giant, happy snake flying around, making everyone smile.

According to legend, Chinese dragons are also friends with the sun, and they can bring rain for the crops. So, they’re like superheroes in dragon form! People also draw and paint these dragons on special occasions because they believe they’ll bring good fortune.

How to Make a Dragon Puppet

Whether you are celebrating Chinese New Year, learning about these mythical creatures in History class, or reading about one in English class, a paper dragon puppet is the perfect craft activity to bring into your lesson. Our team of designers has put together a template, making it easy for your students to create one of their own. Follow the instructions below:

1. Color each of the dragon parts in the download. Chinese dragons are often associated with bright and vibrant colors, so you will want to encourage your students to use a mix of bold colors such as red, gold, green, and blue when coloring their dragon. These colors symbolize luck, prosperity and power in Chinese culture.
2. Cut out the pieces of the dragon, making sure to only cut on the solid lines.
3. Fold the body piece of the dragon forward and backward along the dotted lines like a paper fan.
4. Glue the head to the first fold of the dragon’s body. Then, glue the tail to the last fold of the dragon’s body. Make sure that the colored side of the dragon’s body is facing outward to match the head and tail.
5. Tape 2 straws to the back of your dragon – one at the front leg and the other at the back leg. You will want to make sure these straws are well attached to the paper dragon.
6. Add any decorative pieces to your dragon, giving it a regal and majestic appearance.

Paper Dragon Puppet Ideas

Now that your students have their dragon puppets, what do you do? Our teacher team here at Teach Starter has put together a few ideas of things you can do to incorporate the paper dragon puppet into your lessons.

• Storytelling and Literacy: Bring stories to life by using the paper dragon puppet as a character in storytelling sessions. Students can take turns manipulating the puppet while narrating stories, fostering language development and storytelling skills.
• Role-Playing and Dramatic Play: Integrate the paper dragon puppet into role-playing activities. Students can use the puppet to act out scenes, create dialogues, and explore different characters and scenarios, promoting creativity and social skills.
• Cultural Studies: Use the paper dragon puppet to introduce and explore Chinese culture. Discuss the significance of dragons in Chinese traditions, festivals, and mythology.
• Dance and Movement: Incorporate the paper dragon puppet into dance and movement activities. Students can work together to create a dragon dance, promoting coordination, teamwork, and gross motor skills.
• Writing Prompts: Combine writing activities with the dragon puppets. Ask students to write short stories, poems, or even diary entries from the perspective of their dragon puppets.
• Dragon Parade: Organize a classroom or school-wide dragon parade. Have students create their paper dragon puppets and march in a colorful procession through the school, accompanied by traditional music or festive drumming. This is a great way to celebrate Chinese New Year as a class or school!
• Dragon Puppet Collaborative Mural: Create a large collaborative mural featuring a dragon made up of smaller dragon puppets. Each student can contribute a section of the dragon puppet, and when assembled, it becomes a beautiful and cohesive classroom display.

Print and Go

Use the Download button to grab a copy of the PDF version of this resource. Then, head to the copier and make a class set. It’s just that easy.

More Dragon Fun!

Looking to keep the dragon-themed fun going? We don’t blame you! Here are a few of our other favorite dragon-inspired resources.

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Year of the Dragon – Paper Lantern Craft

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with this Chinese New Year paper lantern craft activity.

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How to Draw a Dragon Directed Drawing

Teach your students how to draw a dragon with a printable guided drawing worksheet.

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Dominate the Dragon – Mental Math Worksheets

Capture your students' interest in math drills for all four operations with these fun dragon-themed differentiated math worksheets.