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[Jūgoya] Craft ideas you’ll want to incorporate into childcare, plus introductory activities

Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

Many of you are probably starting to prepare for the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (Jūgoya) in September.

You may be planning activities suited to your preschool’s environment, such as food education through making rice dumplings (dango) or gathering pampas grass (susuki).

If your craft activities also feature motifs related to Jūgoya, children’s interest will deepen even more.

So in this article, we introduce craft ideas themed around Jūgoya.

We’ll use a variety of materials and techniques.

Please choose according to your class’s age group.

We also share ideas you can use as an introduction, so please use them for reference.

Because the children’s creations are treated as works (art pieces), we use the term “seisaku” (制作: production/creation) in the text.

[Jugoya] Craft ideas to incorporate into childcare. Also introducing introductory activities (1–10)

[Introduction] Ponpoko Tanuki

Ponpoko Tanuki [Children's Song] September Song/Moon Viewing

[Introduction] Ponpoko Tanuki

Before starting the craft activity, how about singing the children’s song “Ponpoko Tanuki” as an introduction to help kids learn about Otsukimi (the moon-viewing festival)? The song describes a tanuki patting its belly while enjoying the moon-viewing.

Just seeing it happily drumming its tummy with a cheerful pon-pon sound will put children in a good mood.

Encourage them to pat their bellies along as they sing, so they can have fun together.

We hope that this charming song will spark their interest in Otsukimi and help them feel that it’s a fun tradition.

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[Hand play] Mochi Pounding on the Night of the Harvest Moon

With cheerful lyrics: “Jūgoya-san no Mochitsuki (Pounding Rice Cakes on the Night of the Full Moon)” [Nursery hand-play song / children's song]

[Hand play] Mochi Pounding on the Night of the Harvest Moon

Let’s try playing the hand game “Jūgoya-san no Mochitsuki” (Full Moon Rice Cake Pounding)! First, pair up with a friend and face each other.

Then place your right hand on top and your left hand below so that your palms face each other.

Clap along with the song and split roles into the turner and the rice-cake pounder.

The turner listens to the rhythm and, without getting their hand caught between the pounder’s hands, times it just right to touch the partner’s lower hand with their right hand.

It might be a little tricky at first, but it’s a thrilling and fun game.

How about enjoying it before or after your craft activity?

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Footprint Stamp: Moon-Viewing Rabbit

[Harvest Moon Viewing Crafts] September–October Autumn Crafts (Nursery School / Kindergarten)

Footprint Stamp: Moon-Viewing Rabbit

Here’s an idea for a Mid-Autumn Festival (Jugoya) moon-viewing rabbit craft using children’s footprints.

Prepare black cardstock and stamp the footprints with white ink.

Attach ears made from construction paper, then draw the eyes, nose, and mouth with a pen to finish the rabbit.

In the empty space, add a sanpō (offering stand) and the moon made from construction paper.

For the dango (rice dumplings), let the children stick on white round stickers.

Many kids enjoy sticking stickers, and it’s great for developing fine motor skills.

You can also put double-sided tape on the rabbit’s ears so the children can stick them on like stickers.

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[Jugo-ya] Craft ideas you’ll want to incorporate into childcare. Introduction activities also included (11–20)

Fluffy Moon-Viewing Art

[Squeeze Art!?] Fluffy, Easy-to-Make Moon-Viewing Craft! | Demonstrated by a Nursery Teacher

Fluffy Moon-Viewing Art

Let me introduce a fluffy “moko-moko” art technique that’s perfect for Tsukimi (moon-viewing) crafts.

If you mix shaving foam into glue, you’ll get soft, cloud-like foam.

Use that to make Tsukimi dango.

Add a little food coloring to turn it yellow and you can make a full moon, too.

Since it’s just mixing, kids can help with the process.

Once the foam is ready, prepare a backing sheet with illustrations of a sanpo stand, a rabbit, and pampas grass (susuki), then use a spoon to place the foam on.

It’s easier if you use the back of the spoon.

When the foam hardens, it’s complete! This craft is suitable for ages 4 and up.

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[Tissue Paper] Rip-Rip Moon-Viewing Dango

[For September wall displays 🎑] Rip and paste flower paper ♪ Moon-viewing dumplings 🌕🌾 #preschoolcrafts #nurseryteacher #ideasforpreschool #traineenurseryteacher #nurseryteacherlife #tornpaperart #tissuepaper #walldisplay #Septembercraft #MoonViewing

[Tissue Paper] Rip-Rip Moon-Viewing Dango

Let’s roll up some tissue paper and make dango! First, prepare a black sheet for the background and create the offering stand and the moon using construction paper.

For children old enough to use scissors, have them practice by cutting along the guide lines by themselves.

Once the pieces are cut, glue them onto the background, then apply glue over the entire area where the dango will go.

Tear the tissue paper into long, thin strips, roll them between both hands, and stick them onto the glued area.

When rolling, instead of shaping them like balls, flatten them slightly—this helps them adhere to the glue better and makes them less likely to fall off.

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[Color Cellophane] Moon-viewing craft with a yellow-finding game

[Daycare Craft] 'Moon Viewing on the Night of the Harvest Moon' Demonstrated by a Nursery Teacher. Mid-Autumn Full Moon = Tuesday, September 21

[Color Cellophane] Moon-viewing craft with a yellow-finding game

Here’s an idea for making a moon using colored cellophane and yellow stickers.

Prepare plenty of yellow stickers and let the children place them however they like.

If you also provide stickers in various colors and say, “Only stick the yellow ones,” they can enjoy it like a game.

Once the stickers are on, place the moon frame over the top and cut off the excess with scissors.

Then attach it to a backing sheet together with clouds, a rabbit, a sanpō (offering stand), and dumplings.

You’ll have a finished moon-viewing craft with a beautiful, sparkling full moon!

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[Stamp] Moon-Viewing Dumplings

[Nursery/Kindergarten] Tsukimi Craft 🌝 Pom-Pom Stamping [Target Age & Introduction]

[Stamp] Moon-Viewing Dumplings

These are moon-viewing dumplings made using a tampo.

A tampo is cotton wrapped in cloth and secured with a rubber band.

It’s quick to make, so if you don’t have one, please prepare it before the activity.

Get black or navy cardstock to evoke the night, and glue a paper sanpō (offering stand) onto it.

Dip the tampo in paint, then dab it onto the sanpō to stamp and create the dango.

If you change the paint color, you can also make a full moon.

Children around three years old could likely cut out the sanpō themselves with scissors.

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