Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day) is a very important holiday in China and Taiwan and Chinese ethnics in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. It’s a holiday that honors the dead relatives and ancestors. In a way it’s similar to Memorial Day in the US, but instead of commemorating those that served in the military, it commemorates those that passed away in your family. On Qingming Festival, families all gather at the graveyard to sweep the tombs of their ancestors and deceased relatives.

Mid-Autumn Festival is a really fun holiday for the kids learning Mandarin Chinese because of all the kids-friendly traditions and delicious Chinese desserts.  It is probably the second most important Chinese holiday after Chinese New Year.  There are many ways to celebrate the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival with your little one, from lantern making to pomelo hat wearing.  There are also a lot of legends and folklore about Mid Autumn Festivals that you can enjoy with your child.

It’s all about making things relevant for your kids when it comes to learning Chinese or any subject. If your kids already love the movie Frozen, give them Frozen [冰雪奇緣] activities in Chinese. They will be eager to participate because they already love anything Frozen. It will be as easy as pie to introduce your kids vocabularies and Chinese characters from the movie. And next time you watch the movie together, ask them to find those words they learned for a little repetition practice. The same technique can be applied to other areas of interests. If your kids like dinosaurs, look for Chinese learning activities and games on dinosaurs.

The Chinese New Year, also referred to as the Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday celebration that stretches for 15 days and more.   It’s more than just celebrating a new beginning, it’s a celebration of hope, renewal, and gratitude.  When you teach your child about the Chinese New Year, you broaden their perspective about the world and acceptance of different cultures. You can celebrate the Chinese New Year with your children with many fun hands-on activities.