Welcoming in new year

Sienna Fisher and Clare Coatsworth enjoying trying the rice cake and dumplings.

Paper lanterns and decorations covered the windows and walls of Gr8 Kids early childhood centre this month as the children celebrated Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival in China.

The children at the centre have been carefully cutting out paper lanterns while learning about all the traditions that are celebrated during the Spring Festival.

Tiare West teaching Tai Ransfield how to handle the chopsticks.

On a Friday afternoon in January, after having a quick lesson on how to use chopsticks, everyone at the centre sat down to enjoy a meal prepared by some of the children. This included dumplings, spring rolls and rice cake.

"The chopsticks are hard to use," says Joby Engelberger, 3.

JOBY Engelberger found the chopsticks to be a challenge.

"I liked the rice cake, it was yum," says Emma Rees, 4.

Char O'Dea, teacher at Gr8 Kids, says the children have loved learning about the festival.

Decorations were mostly created using red paper, as the children learned that red represents good fortune.