Year of the Snake Crafts for Chinese New Year

Year of the Snake crafts are such a fun way to explore Chinese New Year with kids—especially when you want something meaningful and doable.

Snakes symbolize wisdom, transformation, and fresh starts, which makes them perfect for thoughtful (but still playful) art projects.

From simple paper snakes for toddlers to textured, mixed-media crafts for preschoolers and beyond, this roundup shares easy ideas that work at home, in classrooms, or during cultural celebrations without overcomplicating the prep.

Year of the Snake Crafts for Kids

Scrunched Tissue Paper Snake Craft

Materials:

• White cardstock (for snake base)
• Marker to draw the snake outline
• Tissue paper squares (or any color)
• Glue stick
• Googly eyes or white and black construction paper
• Scissors
• Red construction paper (for tongue)

How to Make:

1. Draw snake outline on cardstock.
2. Tear or cut small pieces of tissue paper in squares.
3. Scrunched them and then glue the tissue paper pieces all over the snake’s body to add texture.
4. Attach googly eyes and a red paper tongue.

Paper Strip Snake Craft

Materials:

• Colored construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Googly eyes
• Red construction paper (for tongue)

How to Make:

1. Cut construction paper into equal strips.
2. Draw a line like a snake on a piece of cardstock. Glue the strips down across the line
3. Attach googly eyes and a red paper tongue to the first loop to create the snake’s face.

Puffy Paint Snake Craft

Materials:

• White glue
• Shaving cream
• Food coloring or tempera paint
• Paintbrush
• Snake template (below)
• Googly eyes

How to Make:

1. Mix equal parts shaving cream and glue to create puffy paint.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring or paint and mix well.
3. Print snake template and paint it with the puffy paint.
4. Attach googly eyes and let it dry for a raised, textured look.

Textured Rice Snake Craft

Materials:

• Colored Rice (find the full instructions here)
• Snake printable (below)
• Glue
• Scissors
• Googly eyes

How to Make:

1. Dye the rice by mixing it with a few drops of food coloring in a ziplock bag, then let it dry.
2. Print snake outline onto white cardstock.
3. Apply glue to the snake and sprinkle the colored rice on top.
4. Add googly eyes and a tongue.

Cardboard Tube Snake Craft

Materials:

• Cardboard tube (toilet paper or paper towel roll)
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Scissors
• Googly eyes
• Red construction paper

How to Make:

1. Paint the cardboard tube and let it dry. Paint inside as well.
2. Cut the tube into a spiral to form the snake’s coiled body.
3. Attach googly eyes and a red paper tongue.

Egg Carton Snake Craft

Materials:

• Egg carton
• Paint
• Scissors
• Pipe cleaner or yarn
• Googly eyes
• Red construction paper

How to Make:

1. Cut the egg carton to form the snake’s body.
2. Paint the sections and let them dry.
3. Attach googly eyes and a red paper tongue.

Paper Plate Snake Craft

Materials:

• Paper plate
• Sponge
• Paint
• Scissors
• Googly eyes
• Red construction paper

How to Make:

1. Paint a paper plate with colorful patterns using a sponge and let it dry.
2. Cut the plate into a spiral, starting from the outside and working toward the center.
3. Add googly eyes and a tongue to the head.

Yarn Wrapped Snake Craft

Materials:

• Cardboard
• Yarn (green, brown, or any color)
• Scissors
• White paper and markers for eyes
• Glue
• Gems

How to Make:

1. Cut a snake shape from cardboard.
2. Apply glue and wrap yarn tightly around the snake’s body.
3. Cut out circles from white paper and draw on eyes and cut a red paper tongue. Glue them on
4. Glue on gems.

Salt Painted Snake Craft

Grab the full instructions and free template here.

Paper Chain Snake Craft

Grab the full instructions here.

Leaf Snake Craft

Grab the full instructions here.