Phonics Focus

The word ‘tiger’ is pronounced /ˈtaɪɡər/, with the first syllable sounding like ‘tie’ (rhymes with ‘fly’) and the second like ‘grrr’, just like a tiger’s growl! For preschoolers, repeat the word slowly: tie-ger. Encourage your child to clap once for each syllable: ‘tie’ (clap) ‘ger’ (clap). Parents can point out the letter ‘T’ at the beginning, making the strong ‘tuh’ sound, and play a game of finding other ‘T’ words around the house. Try saying ‘tiger turns ten tiny tangerines’ as a silly tongue-twister, or draw a big letter T together and fill it with tiger stripes! Practicing the letter sound, clapping out the syllables, and making up playful rhymes all help young learners connect letters, sounds, and meaning in a joyful way. Repeating this phonics play during coloring time reinforces early language skills and makes learning extra fun.

The Benefits of Coloring for Kids

Coloring Lunar New Year pages helps young children build fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and concentration. As they color tigers, lanterns, and parades, kids practice using crayons or markers with control, choose colors creatively, and learn about cultural traditions. These activities also support early reading skills by introducing new words, symbols, and holiday vocabulary in a playful, relaxed way.

Teaches colour recognition – Matching colours with objects helps learning colour names and combinations.

Introduces early math concepts – Counting shapes and repeated patterns develops foundational skills.

Encourages decision‑making – Choosing colours and deciding how to use them promotes autonomy.

Promotes relaxation and improved wellbeing – The repetitive act eases mental tension and physical fatigue.

Sparks creativity and imagination – Every colouring outcome is unique, fostering creative expression.

Builds patience and perseverance – Completing detailed colouring pages encourages sticking with tasks.

Storytelling Adventures

Bring Year of the Tiger coloring pages to life by encouraging children to create stories about the tiger characters they color. After finishing their masterpiece, ask your child to name their tiger, imagine its favorite Lunar New Year tradition, or invent a magical adventure. This not only sparks creativity but also builds language skills, as children narrate aloud or dictate their stories for you to write down. Use the finished coloring sheets as storybook pages—staple them together for a one-of-a-kind Lunar New Year tale!

Lunar New Year Scavenger Hunts

Hide completed tiger coloring pages around your home or classroom for a holiday scavenger hunt! Give children clues related to the images, such as ‘Find the tiger with a lantern’ or ‘Look for the family eating dumplings.’ This fun activity promotes observation skills, memory, and the use of descriptive language, while reinforcing the vocabulary and symbols of the holiday.

Themed Roleplay and Dramatic Play

Encourage children to act out Lunar New Year scenes with their colored tiger pages. They can design simple tiger masks or puppets, act out parades, or host pretend celebrations. Roleplaying builds social skills, expressive language, and emotional understanding. Teachers can set up a ‘Lunar New Year restaurant’ where children serve play food, greet each other in Mandarin, and use their tiger art as decorations.

Phonics Practice and Letter Recognition

Use the word ‘tiger’ to reinforce early literacy. Point to the big ‘T’ on each page, sound it out, and ask children to find or color all the ‘T’ words they can see. Practice clapping the syllables in ‘tiger’, tracing the letter ‘T’ in the air, or making a phonics collage with tiger stripes. Parents can make a ‘Tiger Word Wall’ with tiger-themed words such as ‘tail’, ‘toes’, ‘teeth’, and ‘tangerine’, supporting both letter recognition and vocabulary building.

Colorful Classroom Displays

Showcase children’s finished coloring pages on a bulletin board or classroom wall to celebrate everyone’s creativity and cultural learning. Add fun facts, new vocabulary words, and children’s own tiger stories to the display. This not only builds pride and a sense of community, but also helps reinforce language, cultural awareness, and visual storytelling for all students.

Extra Tips for Parents and Teachers

– Mix coloring with music: Play traditional Lunar New Year songs as children color for a multisensory experience.
– Invite children to share their finished pages during circle time or family gatherings, practicing speaking and listening skills.
– Laminate or back finished pages on construction paper for festive Lunar New Year cards or keepsakes.

Using Year of the Tiger Lunar New Year coloring pages in these creative ways transforms simple coloring into powerful learning moments—building fine motor skills, supporting language and literacy, and fostering a joyful curiosity about world cultures and celebrations.