Mandarin competence takes 2, 200 class hours, with half of that time spent in a country where it's spoken, according to the U.S. State Department's Foreign Service Institute, whereas Spanish can be learned in 600 to 750 class hours.

WSJ: To Improve Kids' Chinese, Some Parents Move to Asia

The Museum of Chinese in America kicks off its Lunar New Year Family Festival on 2 February with performances by local dancers, kid-centric Mandarin workshops, hands-on arts and crafts projects and a chance to learn more about Chinese holiday customs and rituals.

BBC: Celebrate Lunar New Year in New York City