Year of the Horse Crafts for Chinese New Year (2026)

Year of the Horse crafts feel especially meaningful in our house this year. 2026 is the Year of the Horse, and both my daughter and I were born in Horse years, so there’s been plenty of excitement, questions, and creative energy around our table.

In the Chinese zodiac, the Horse is often associated with confidence, kindness, energy, and independence, traits that naturally lend themselves to hands-on, imaginative play. That’s what makes these crafts such a fun and meaningful way for kids to connect with Lunar New Year traditions.

These Year of the Horse Chinese New Year crafts are simple, flexible, and easy to adapt for toddlers through early elementary ages. Most use basic supplies you likely already have at home, and none require perfection, which is always a win when crafting with kids.

Year of the Horse Crafts for Kids

Paper Plate Horse

Materials:

• Paper plate
• Brown paint (2 shades)
• Paintbrush
• Brown, tan, and black foam sheets or construction paper
• Googley eyes
• Glue
• Scissors
• Black marker

How to make:

1. Paint the paper plate dark brown on the outside and lighter brown and let it dry.
2. Cut the mane from brown construction paper or foam sheets, four legs and two ears. Cut out inner ears and oval for the snout from tan paper and hooves from black paper. Glue them on once the plate is dry.
3. Glue on google eyes.
4. Draw nostrils and mouth with a marker, then add a red square with the Chinese symbol for good fortune in its mouth if you want extra detail.

Paper Bag Horse

Materials:

• Brown paper lunch bag
• Brown, tan, red and black foam sheets or construction paper
• Googley eyes
• Glue
• Scissors
• Black marker

How to make:

1. Cut the mane from brown construction paper or foam sheets, four legs and two ears. Cut out inner ears and oval for the snout from tan paper and hooves from black paper. Glue them on once the paper bag.
2. Glue on google eyes.
3. Draw nostrils and mouth with a marker, then add a red square with the Chinese symbol for good fortune in its mouth if you want extra detail.

Horse Suncatcher

Materials:

• Horse template
• Clear contact paper
• Tissue paper (cut into small squares)

How to make:

1. Cut out horse shape from red construction paper.
2. Peel and stick contact paper sticky-side up. Place tissue paper inside the horse shape, cover with another layer of contact paper, and trim.
3. Cut the mane and snout from black construction paper or foam sheets and two ears from red construction paper. Cut out inner ears and nostrils for the snout from tan paper. Glue them on once the horse.
4. Glue on google eye.
5. Add a red square with the Chinese symbol for good fortune in its mouth if you want extra detail.
6. Hang in a sunny window.

Fork Painted Horse

Materials:

• Brown (two tones if available), black tan and red construction paper
• Red, orange and yellow paint
• Paper Plate for the paint
• Googley eyes
• Scissors
• Glue
• White cardstock
• Plastic fork

How to make:

1. Dip the forks into the different colors of paint one at a time and stamp them on the paper to create a rectangular shaped body. Set it aside to dry.
2. Cut a horse head, mane and ears from brown construction paper. Cut hooves from black construction paper. Cut inner ears from tan construction paper. Glue them on top of the fork fur once dry.
3. Glue on googley eyes.
4. Add a red square with the Chinese symbol for good fortune in its mouth if you want extra detail.

Pom Pom Painted Horse

Materials:

• Pom poms
• Clothespins
• Paper Plate for the paint
• Brown (two tones if available), black tan and red construction paper
• Red, orange and yellow paint
• Googley eyes
• Scissors
• Glue
• White cardstock

How to make:

1. Dip the pom poms into the different colors of paint one at a time and stamp them on the paper to create a rectangular shaped body. Set it aside to dry.
2. Cut a horse head, mane and ears from brown construction paper. Cut hooves from black construction paper. Cut inner ears from tan construction paper. Glue them on top of the fork fur once dry.
3. Glue on googley eyes.
4. Add a red square with the Chinese symbol for good fortune in its mouth if you want extra detail.

Cardboard Tube Horse

Materials:

• Cardboard tube
• Glue
• Markers
• Brown (two tones if available), black tan and red, yellow and orange construction paper
• Googley eyes
• Scissors
• Black marker

How to make:

1. Cover the tube with paper.
2. Cut out colorful mane from red, yellow and orange construction paper. Cut out ears from brown construction paper and inner ears and snout from tan construction paper. Glue them on the tube.
3. Glue on googley eyes.
4. Use a marker to draw the nostrils and smile.
5. Add a red square with the Chinese symbol for good fortune in its mouth if you want extra detail.

Horse Sensory Bin

Materials:

• Red and yellow rice
• Toy horses
• Coins
• Red, orange and yellow pom poms
• bowls
• Chopsticks
• Mini Lanterns or other Spring Festival decorations
• Scoops
• Cups or small containers
• Plastic bin

How to make:

1. Fill a bin with the the colored rice. Find out how to make it here.
2. Add horses and tools.
3. Let kids pretend it’s a stable or pasture.

These Year of the Horse Chinese New Year crafts are easy, meaningful, and perfect for celebrating 2026 in a hands-on way—especially when the zodiac animal feels personal.