Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival in Your Classroom
Mid-Autumn Festival is a major public holiday in China, and is celebrated annually by Chinese communities worldwide. This festival, observed on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, usually falls in September or early October. It’s a time for families to reunite, reflect, and enjoy special foods, like mooncakes, while appreciating the full moon—a symbol of unity and harmony during the harvest season.
This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival will be celebrated on September 17, 2024.
The Legend of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess
The Mid-Autumn Festival is also deeply rooted in Chinese mythology. One of the most famous legends associated with the festival is the story of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess. According to this beloved tale, Chang’e ascended to the moon after drinking an elixir of immortality, where she now lives, along with her rabbit. The festival’s customs, such as moon gazing and eating mooncakes, are often tied to this story, symbolizing reunion and the longing to be with loved ones.
Activities for the Classroom
Bringing the Mid-Autumn Festival into your classroom is a great way to connect students with Chinese culture and traditions. We’ve curated engaging activities for different age groups that allow students to explore the festival’s rich history, stories, and customs. From hands-on crafts to interactive storytelling, these activities will help students celebrate and learn about this vibrant holiday in a fun, meaningful way.
Making Lanterns
Lanterns are a beautiful and symbolic part of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Incorporate the tradition of lantern-making into your classroom with our Global Learning Activity Cards, like the ones in our Chinese Arts and Crafts resource page!
Traditional Foods of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the harvest, and traditional Chinese dishes, like mooncakes, have an important role in these celebrations. Mooncakes, often filled with lotus seed paste, are enjoyed by families who gather to share these pastries under the full moon. Other harvest foods like pomelos and taro are also popular. Celebrate the food traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival by making mooncakes of your own, using the recipe down below!
Activities by Grade-Level
Our team has curated even more activities and resources for you to choose from. Take a look and discover a range of engaging activities tailored for different grade levels, from fun crafts for younger students to more in-depth cultural explorations for older ones.
We hope you enjoy learning about and celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival with your students and building their global awareness with these fun activities. We love seeing you and your students engage with global learning, so share some photos on social media and tag us for us to share! @MegGlobalEd
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