Going on a DIY Chinese New Year Field Trip
Chinese New Year is happening next week. And here in Bacolod City, it is a big thing with the Bacolaodiat Festival. As a Filipino-Chinese homeschooling family, we try to keep these Chinese traditions alive for our kids to appreciate and relish. What we had was a tour for the senses.
Our DIY Chinese New Year Field Trip
The family business is a physical store located at the Capitol Shopping Center, which used to be considered as the Chinatown of Bacolod. So essentially, if we wanted a CNY field trip, it was going to be around here.
Celebrating and coming up with Chinese New Year activities for the kids has already become an annual family tradition for us.
Hua Kong Chinese Drug Store
Wearing their Chinese costumes for kids, first we marched out for our DIY Chinese New Year field trip.
Our first stop was Hua Kong Chinese Drug Store along Tindalo Avenue. This old store is like the icon of anything Chinese here in Bacolod. You will find all kinds of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) for just about any ailment you will feel. They have herbs for cooking, too.
Plus, they have snack items, candies, nuts, even even decor. It was a feast for the senses of the sights, aromas, and flavors. The kids enjoyed their time there because of the many things they can see and taste.
We bought fortune cookies, some candies, haw flakes, and was also given tikoy (sticky rice cake) as a gift.
Respect for Elders
As I have mentioned in the my post about the Cha Misua (Chinese birthday misua), the Chinese is keen on being filial.
When they went home, the kids greeted their Angkong and Ama (Fookien for grandfather and grandmother) and then shared fortune cookies with them.
Lunch Break
We went home for lunch (Intsik kaya kuripot) and also to take a break. With this back pain of mine, I have to take rests throughout the day.
The kids also got a video break and watched Ni Hao Kai Lan, a Nickelodeon series about a little Chinese girl named Kai Lan. While the show is in English, they inject Chinese words in the script. It also espouses good values.
The Malls
In the afternoon, we went to SM City Bacolod and then Ayala Malls Capitol Central, as both Bacolod malls have their own Chinese New Year displays. The kids had their photos taken, as these are keepsakes of their happy memories.
Fortune Telling
The Chinese are very much into luck and fortune. They are not in lack of fortune tellers and at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, they have what they call a “Pork-tune teller” for the Chinese New Year, a word play as it’s the Year of the Pig. Since we are not believers, we skipped this.
Chinese Food
We wanted to give the kids some Chinese food like steamed dumplings and lumpia. The only thing that they were able to have was fried lumpia and siopao. I dunno why but there were no steamed dumplings and that’s like the national food on Chinese New Year. Bummer.
Meanwhile, the siopao that we had is by City Lunch, which is another iconic Bacolod restaurant in the Chinese district.
Tipid Mommy
As a homeschooling family, we come up with these activities for the kids without us having to spend so much. Yes, you can do these things without hurting the family budget and still have some learning experiences. Except for the snacks that we bought, everything else is FREE, even the bracelet making at Ayala Malls Capitol Central. All it takes is a little research and some asking around.
So okay, to make the bracelet, you need to present a receipt with any amount of purchase. Shawna bought a balloon for P2.75 from Hannah’s Party Needs while Shane had ice cream for P20 for a total of P22.75. But the craft making session is more than worth it.
Chinese New Year Schedule at Yuan Thong Buddhist Temple
The Yuan Thong Buddhist Temple along Burgos Street, Bacolod City (near Lopue’s East Centre), is one of the most festive places during Chinese New Year. They open their gates to the public and people can just enjoy the temple, the Chinese food booths, bazaar, and of course, the messages of peace. You are also welcome to leave your wishes.
By the way, there’s no need to worship there if you don’t want to. This temple has become a popular attraction for the CNY.
This year, please check the Chinese New Year schedule below:
Feb 4 | Monday
- 06:00PM – Opening of Bazaar at the Temple Grounds
- 07:30PM – Cultural Show
- 09: 30PM – Bacolaodiat Lantern Dance Showdown
- 10:00PM – Dragon Dance
- 10:30PM – Prayer
- 10:40PM – Lion Dance – Giving of Fortune
- 11:40PM – Drum Rolling countdown to New Year by Master
- 11:58PM – 108 Bell Ringing
- 12:00MN – Declaration of New Year
Prosperity Platter Dinner
Tonight, we are going to have experience the Prosperity Platter at Seda Capitol Central. Stay tuned.
What a fantastic field trip for Chinese New Year! I really love this idea – This is a great field trip for the whole family to enjoy — even if the kids are not homeschooling.
Your Chinese traditions, parties and events are so incredible … following and reading your blog are making me passionate about all this! You are a cool mom! 🙂 Happy Chinese New Year!
Looks like yall have a lot of fun festivities planned for The Chinese New Year field trip. The kids are going to have a great time. It is so nice to set up something fun for the homeschool kids as well.
Looks like you had a very good time and the kids enjoyed it, too. They look cute in their Chinese costumes. It’s nice that the malls go all out to put up Chinese decorations for the Chinese New Year. So colorful!
What a fun way to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We just buy some Chinese food and that’s it. I think we should do something similar this year just for exposure.
This looks like a really fun and educational idea! As someone who was homeschooled for my 5th and 6th grade years, I know how amazing it can be to be able to take the time and do hands-on learning outside of the “classroom”. It really helped me to grow and develop new understanding of the world – it sounds like it is doing the same for your children as well!
Wow, this field trip sounds amazing, the kids look like they had an awesome time and they look cute in their Chinese costumes. 🙂
I love this Chinese New Year field trip, even if it’s a simple one. I like being informed on other cultures and their customs. This is so cool that your kids get to experience this.
I don’t know very much about Chinese New Year, but I would love to learn more about it. It’s great reading about it in blogs.
The kids really had a nice time to unwind during their trip before they get back to their homeschool. Visiting the mall and the Chinese Temple must have been great, right?
So true. 🙂 We all need our breaks.
Sounds like a busy yet lovely CNY field trip. Chinese new year is quite big in the UK and it is always nice to learn more about the culture and traditions around it
Great ideas to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We usually buy some Chinese food to celebrate. I will have to research if there is anything Chinese related in my community to celebrate this year.
Great activities and festivities for Chinese New Year, and very colorful without a doubt. And the approaching of more festivities looks amazing. Incredible celebrations to be in a Chinese family that values culture and traditions.
This is a great bonding activity for the kids this week. Thanks for the idea. I’ll take the kids to Hua Kong and explore the activities in the malls as well. We haven’t been to the Yuan Thong temple ever, but will try to drop by this weekend for their food bazaar.
Kung hei fat choi!?
oh my gosh this looks like the best time ever to go around places with Chinatowns! It’s so festive and colorful. I wanna go, too. 🙂
Actually this Chinese new year field trip sounds amazing. I love the Chinese culture and can’t wait to visit China/Hong Kong someday. On vacations here i visit their restaurants to go have some of their delicacies.
Interesting field trip for kids for the Chinese New Year. They surely learn something and most importantly, they are enjoying this learning experience. Field trips are always what I look forward when I was still a kid.
This is such a great idea for the upcoming Chinese New Year! We should do this .
Wow, such busy kids! This is a great field trip for Chinese New Year even for adults. I would love to go to the Yuan Thong Buddhist Temple. And seeing those White Rabbit candy reminds me of my elementary days. Hard to find them these days.
Di pa po ako nakaranas ng chinese new year..Ang saya po pala..