Mid-Autumn Festival is a really fun holiday for the kids learning Mandarin Chinese because of all the kids-friendly traditions and delicious Chinese desserts.  It is probably the second most important Chinese holiday after Chinese New Year.  There are many ways to celebrate the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival with your little one, from lantern making to pomelo hat wearing.  There are also a lot of legends and folklore about Mid Autumn Festivals that you can enjoy with your child.

Ever heard of ‘Good Night Gorilla’ 晚安大猩猩? It’s one of those timeless classics that kids just can’t get enough of, and parents secretly love too! Picture this: a wordless book filled with expressive illustrations that practically beg you to make up your own story as you go along. It’s like a creative free-for-all every time you open it!

I swear, my kiddo and I have made a game out of finding all the hidden gems in those illustrations. You’ve got your flashlight, your moon, a sneaky little balloon…oh, and don’t forget about that mischievous gorilla and his zoo pals! Every night, it’s a new adventure.

We are kicking off October this year with a visit to the local pumpkin patch!  This weekend we went to Clancy’s Pumpkin Patch.  Every year they set up a beautiful pumpkin patch in an empty lot next to a small park.  It’s beautifully decorated with a wide range of pumpkins, scarecrows, witches, families of skeletons (with pets, too), and many more. 

Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day) is a very important holiday in China and Taiwan and Chinese ethnics in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. It’s a holiday that honors the dead relatives and ancestors. In a way it’s similar to Memorial Day in the US, but instead of commemorating those that served in the military, it commemorates those that passed away in your family. On Qingming Festival, families all gather at the graveyard to sweep the tombs of their ancestors and deceased relatives.