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On February 22, 2026 (the sixth day of the first lunar month in the Year of the Horse), although snow and freezing rain from the previous night left roads slippery, the campus of the Tzu Chi Academy, North Toronto was still buzzing with excitement. Early that morning, Tzu Chi volunteers, teachers, and caring parents demonstrated remarkable teamwork by returning to the school an hour early to begin the setup work.
Thanks to everyone’s joint efforts, the school corridors and classrooms were decorated with a festive atmosphere, filled with spring couplets, Year of the Horse lanterns, and various auspicious hanging ornaments everywhere. The joyful sounds of New Year songs echoed in every corner.
Multicultural Game Stations Pass Down Classics Amid Laughter
That day, many children, teachers, and parents specially wore traditional Chinese New Year attire, complementing the vibrant, lively atmosphere of the event. The activity attracted enthusiastic participation from approximately 400 parents, students, and community members. Students from the Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning (TCML) also brought their families to join in the grand occasion, collectively experiencing the warmth and blessings of Chinese culture through traditional cultural experiences and meaningful parent-child interactions.
The school meticulously designed eight game stations filled with a strong New Year flavor, aiming to let participants experience cultural inheritance amid laughter:
Sign Language Group Activity Station: Teachers led children, parents, and adult class students to practice the New Year song “Good Fortune Arrives Swiftly.” Through interactive teaching that combined singing and movement, both adults and children showed great enthusiasm to the upbeat rhythm; even though they were still figuring out the moves, the joy and smiles transcending age and the wholehearted involvement filled the venue with the vibrant energy of the new year.
New Year Expressions Challenge Station: Children used board game puzzles to observe how different facial expressions represent different emotions. In the game, children were challenged to quickly match the eyes, noses, and mouths of the expression cards they drew. This helped them understand that whether people are happy, angry, depressed, or frustrated, all emotions are normal, and we should be considerate of one another.
Reliving Childhood Memories and Experiencing the Charm of Traditional Culture
Chinese Zodiac Matching Fun and Pinball Station: This station ingeniously combined Chinese character recognition with nostalgic childhood toys. First, a table was filled with colorful graphic cards of the twelve zodiac animals. Participants had to accurately match red auspicious phrases printed with Chinese characters to the corresponding animal illustrations.
After completing the challenge, they could experience a “handmade wooden pinball machine” full of Taiwan’s night market flair. Under the patient explanation and guidance of volunteer “big brothers”, everyone used a wooden stick to strike marbles with gusto, watching them bounce and fall among wooden pegs and drop. This not only allowed children to learn about zodiac culture through play, but also helped many parents relive fond childhood memories.
New Year Dishes Station: This was one of the most anticipated segments for children. With friendly explanations from teachers and volunteers, everyone learned about various traditional auspicious New Year dishes and the beautiful meanings behind them. The station not only displayed a rich variety of festive foods but also allowed children and parents to taste these delicious dishes themselves, deeply feeling the charm of traditional Chinese culture through their taste buds and cultural stories.
Dough Figurine Station: This station was undoubtedly one of the most popular highlights of the entire event! The long tables were crowded with students of all ages and diverse backgrounds, fully focused on kneading colorful dough. Under the careful distribution of materials and patient guidance from Cultural Seed teacher Fang-Min Lai of the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) and volunteers, the children unleashed boundless creativity.
Soon, vivid pink piglets, azure mice, playful monkeys holding bananas, and exquisite three-dimensional pink flowers were born. These adorable creations were then cleverly attached to circular wooden tags with lanyards, transforming into unique New Year ornaments.
Seeing the bright, accomplished smiles on the children’s faces as they held their proud masterpieces profoundly showcased the captivating charm of traditional folk crafts transcending cultural boundaries.
Tzu Chi’s 60th Anniversary: A Cycle of Love and Goodness
Educational Game Station: Students, acting as happy little horses, had to quickly find matching patterns from two cards printed with fruits and vegetables, say the vegetable or fruit’s Chinese name aloud, and then transport a lucky red paper to the opposite side by holding it between their legs, before returning with a lucky red cup balanced on their heads.
During the game, students needed to integrate intelligence, observation, concentration, and coordination to complete the task. This also allowed them to realize that even when facing difficulties, as long as they learn from the experience and keep trying, they will surely reap the joy of success.
Fun Competitions and Calligraphy Station: Here, participants could not only experience the joy of wielding a calligraphy brush, turning their New Year hopes into ink masterpieces, but also engage in paper-cutting crafts. This allowed students and parents to create exquisite New Year window decorations and blessings with their nimble fingers. Besides static writing, this station specially designed fun competitions to test participants’ concentration and hand-eye coordination, cultivating patience and perseverance in a joyful competitive atmosphere.
Souvenir Station: This station specially invited Deputy Director Tsai-Feng Hsu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto to visit in person, presenting exquisite souvenirs such as “Seven Joys Bring Spring” spring couplets, Year of the Horse red envelopes, and desk calendars on behalf of the OCAC.
At the same time, Principal Shu-Chen Huang also represented the school in personally distributing the “Red Envelopes of Blessings and Wisdom,” carrying Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s abundant blessings, one by one to all teachers, students, parents, volunteers, and community attendees. Everyone joyfully received the red envelopes with both hands and happily took photos with the God of Wealth, creating a jubilant atmosphere.
Coinciding with Tzu Chi’s 60th anniversary, a special “Bamboo Bank Era” section was set up beside the souvenir area to present Tzu Chi’s origins. Everyone enthusiastically responded; students brought their loving bamboo banks their classes had accumulated over time, pouring their saved coins into the sea of merit to practice the spirit of helping others.
Although ice and snow lay outside the window, spring filled the air inside the school. This New Year Open House not only allowed children to deeply experience traditional customs in a joyous setting but also served as a concrete manifestation of “Gratitude, Respect, and Love.” At the beginning of the Year of the Horse, volunteers and the education team worked hand in hand to successfully blend overseas Mandarin education with Tzu Chi’s 60 years of humanistic spirit, injecting the warmest and most peaceful positive energy into the North Toronto community.