[Jūgoya] Craft ideas you’ll want to incorporate into childcare, plus introductory activities
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.
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[Jugo-ya] Craft ideas you’ll want to incorporate into childcare. Introduction activities also included (11–20)
How to fold tsukimi dango (paper craft)
Moon-viewing dango are essential sweets for the autumn full-moon night.
Prepare one sheet of origami paper, fold it into a triangle, then fold both sides up toward the center line.
Align the tip with the bottom corner, fold, and gently puff it out to form the dango.
A small slit with scissors is also a key step.
Fold the corners to shape the dango into a round form.
Finally, make the stand for the dango, attach the dango on top, and you’re done.
Try making these with children as the full-moon night approaches!
Silver grass for moon viewing
Here’s how to make pampas grass, an essential decoration for the night of the Harvest Moon.
Fold the origami paper in half horizontally twice.
Cut off about a quarter of the width with scissors, then open the paper.
Starting from a corner, roll the paper diagonally.
Secure the handle area with tape, and you’re done.
The key is to roll it tightly so there are no gaps.
Pampas grass symbolizes wishes for a good harvest, and its leaves are also believed to ward off evil.
Give it a try and enjoy the autumn atmosphere!
Full moon rabbit made from a single sheet of origami
Perfect for moon-viewing events! Here’s an idea for a full-moon rabbit made from a single sheet of origami paper.
Autumn is the season for tsukimi (moon viewing), right? Some of you might prepare pampas grass and moon-viewing dumplings at school or at home and enjoy the beautiful moon.
This time, let’s make a full-moon rabbit that’s just right for such an event.
What you’ll need: yellow origami paper, scissors, glue, and a pen.
Some steps are a bit tricky, so it’s best to work together with a parent or teacher for safety and ease.
Be sure to give it a try on this occasion!
A rabbit folded from two sheets of origami paper
Rabbits are often depicted together with moon viewing because the white patterns on the moon are said to resemble a rabbit pounding mochi.
Let’s make such a rabbit using two sheets of origami paper.
First, fold the first sheet into a triangle twice, then open the triangle and fold it into a square.
Next, fold down the top single layer in half.
Flip it over and repeat the same steps.
Fold both ears toward the center, then fold the tip of one ear outward to finish the face.
Now take the second sheet of origami, fold it into a triangle in half, and open it.
Fold all four edges inward along the crease to form a diamond shape.
Fold the bottom part up, then fold it slightly back down.
Fold the top part inward as well, then fold everything in half to complete the body.
Finally, glue the face and body together and draw the face to complete your rabbit!
In conclusion
We introduced ideas to use as references for making crafts for the Harvest Moon (Jūgoya).
Jūgoya is a great opportunity to deepen understanding of the moon we always see.
Because it features familiar motifs for children, like rabbits and rice dumplings, they’re likely to enjoy it.
Be sure to incorporate various ideas into your activities and have a wonderful time.