The dragon -- the only supernatural creature in the Asian zodiac -- epitomizes strength, endurance, virility, and brilliance. It's also the ultimate good-luck symbol. Create a small-scale version of the traditional Chinese paper dragon with decorative paper and chopsticks. These puppets are easy to make and even more fun to play with.

Tools and Materials
Dragon template
Bristol board
Scissors
Construction or origami paper
Pinking shears or Fiskars "Wave" decorative edgers
Glue
Tissue paper
Sponge brush
Chopsticks
Hole punch
Brass paper fasteners

Paper Dragon How-To
1. Use our dragon template, or draw your own dragon with a head, two middle body sections, and a tail. If using template, enlarge it 200 percent. Trace template onto two sheets of Bristol board. The dragon will have a front and back. Cut out dragon pieces.

2. Cut a variety of strips of construction or origami paper. Cut one end with pinking shears or Fiskars "Wave" decorative edgers and the other side with scissors. The strips should be about 1 inch longer than the width of your dragon and about 2 inches wide.

3. To make the dragon's head, glue a solid piece of construction paper onto each piece of the head. Trim around the outline of the head. Glue some strips onto the neck area. Cut white paper for the eyes, teeth, and nostrils; black circles for the pupils; and a corresponding color for the eyelids. Glue to face.

4. To make the dragon's hair, cut pieces of colored construction paper using the small flame shape from the template as a guide. Glue these pieces in a flaming-hair pattern around the head.

5. To make the dragon's body and tail, glue the construction paper or origami strips onto the dragon sections starting at the end of the tail. Overlap the strips to make a fish-scale pattern. Continue to glue the strips on all of the sections. Trim the edges of the strips.

6. To make the dragon spikes on the body, glue triangle-shaped pieces of tissue paper to the inside of one piece of each section.

7. With a sponge brush, spread glue on the inside of all the dragon sections. Glue one-quarter of a chopstick to the inside of the dragon's head and tail; these will serve as puppet handles. Glue all the front and back sections together. Let dry, about 1 hour.

8. Using a hole punch, punch a hole at the ends of each connecting section. Connect the sections of the dragon with brass paper fasteners.