Suitable for: Kindergarten/Prep, Grade 1, Grade 2, & Grade 3

In this lesson, students will learn about the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrated in China.

Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival celebrated every year in China during Autumn. It's a lunar festival, which means the date changes each year, depending on the lunar calendar but is always on Month 8, Day 15 of the moon calendar in China. That day is always in September or near the start of October. The festival centres around enjoying the full moon and, like all festivals, has special foods to eat and different activities that are done during the festival. There is also a well known story, or myth, associated with the festival, ‘Chang’e the Moon Goddess’. Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated by Chinese communities around the world and across South East Asia.

Tell students you’ll show them a video about a festival in China called ‘Mid Autumn Festival’ and ask them to guess what people do during the festival from the video:

Explore these videos and ask students to note down any ways they observe the festival being celebrated. They may choose to draw pictures of the ways they see afterwards, then share. Ask them to focus on foods eaten, activities done and anything else they note.

Mid-Autumn Festival: An Introduction

‘Mooncakes’ Karaoke Sing Along Song

Read this article together and identify and discuss the key information about Mid-Autumn Festival and how it is celebrated.

In the video below, look at the different designs and colours used to make lanterns. Make a lantern, just like they do at Mid-Autumn Festival.

Click here for instructions and supplies if needed.

Design a pattern for the top of a mooncake on a circle, drawn on paper. This will represent the outside of the mooncake top. Designs typically reflect geometric patterns, flowers, leaves and (more advanced) some Chinese characters. Look together at the patterns and for ideas here. You may want to explore making them with playdough for a 3D version.

Baby Panda Protects His Moon Cake

OR, rewatch the Round Moon song and learn it together: