According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, the Year of the Horse begins on 17 February 2026. This education pack for primary schools offers a rich collection of information and activities to help teachers and pupils explore this vibrant spring festival and discover more about Chinese language and culture. The pack is designed for pupils aged 7 to 11 but can adapted for older or younger pupils.
Your pupils can learn to count in Mandarin, uncover fascinating facts about the symbolism of horses in Chinese art and culture, and explore the world of Chinese tangram puzzles. Creative activities invite pupils to make their own versions of a traditional Chinese scroll painting and to design hobby horse heads inspired by paper-cutting traditions found across China.
The resources are designed to be flexible and adaptable. They can be used as starting points for individual lessons or activities, or form part of a larger cross-curricular project with a partner school overseas. Teachers will know best how to adapt these activities and tailor the tasks for their pupils. There are many opportunities to provide additional support or extend the activities for the pupils in your classes.
If you are planning to celebrate Chinese New Year with the Year of the Horse education pack, we would love to hear about it. Simply share your stories, photographs and videos on social media and tag us on either Facebook (British Council Schools) or X (@schools_british).