Lunar New Year celebrates the start of a new year on the lunisolar calendar, marking the arrival of spring focusing on family, feasts and renewal.
The holiday is observed across the world through East and Southeast Asian traditions of fireworks, dragon dances, gift-giving and more, traditionally lasting for 15-days.
Participants from both City in the Community’s City Play and City Play Together programmes have taken part in themed sessions, centring around this year’s Lunar New Year symbol, the ‘Fire Horse’.
With an intention to create culture-based sessions both the City Play and City Play Together team identified a number of traditions and messages to centre their sessions around, with an aim to build an understanding of the celebration for participants and families.
During City in the Community City Play sessions, participants took part in a specially designed session based on Lunar New Year Traditions.
Activities such as finding red letters dotted around the space and having horse races, educated the youngsters on the traditions, as well as keeping them physically active during the session.
At City Play Together sessions families took part in activities, whilst also taking part in discussions with other families in attendance about how those who celebrate, commemorate Lunar New Year, with one family sharing their traditions, saying: “We celebrate by spending time with family, decorating the house and wearing new clothes.
“We like to prepare lots of food together, especially dumplings and enjoy watching the fireworks at midnight. After the celebration, we visit relatives where children will receive red envelopes filled with money.”
City Play is a bespoke Early Years programme, with each session themed and delivered in a fun, engaging and inclusive environment.
Sessions are created to support a child’s physical development and progressive fundamental movement skill development, through a 38-week programme delivered throughout the academic year.
City Play Together uses the power of football to encourage children aged 2-5 and their parents to live a healthy and active lifestyle for a young age.
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