Chinese Zodiac for Kids and Parents

What does the Chinese zodiac have to tell us about our children — and how best to parent them?

Every parent strives to provide their child with the best (and most self-aware) support possible, and that objective encourages a process of seeking guidance from many sources of wisdom, including doctors and other child-rearing experts, family and friends. By knowing more about our children and how they are wired, we can hopefully parent them better, right? The Chinese zodiac can be another useful and entertaining source to find out more about our children’s natural attributes and charms — and give us parents some intelligence about how best to raise them to achieve their full potential.

Chinese New Year begins on Feb. 1, 2022, and children born during this year will be under the sign of the Tiger. (Note: If you are expecting a new baby before Feb. 1, your child will be born in the prior Chinese Year of the Ox.)

In Chinese culture, the Tiger is symbolic of power, respect, leadership, influence and bravery — the “king of the jungle.” Kiddos born in the sign of the Tiger are said to be enthusiastic, curious, warm-hearted little daredevils — much like Tigger, they are the ultimate optimists. These are all traits that can cheer us through these continued pandemic doldrums. Read on to learn more about your little Tiger cub.

To discover more about your child’s personality and natural gifts, locate his or her date of birth and corresponding Chinese zodiac sign in the table below — read your own profile to see if you recognize the child within you!

May the year ahead bring your family the strength and luck of the Tiger! 

• The Rat Child

• The Ox Child

• The Tiger Child

• The Rabbit Child

• The Dragon Child

• The Snake Child

• The Horse Child

• The Sheep Child

• The Monkey Child

• The Rooster Child

• The Dog Child

• The Pig Child

Chinese Calendar 1991–2023

For complete tables, check the Wikipedia.org Chinese Zodiac entry.