Mooncakes, magic, and the Jade Rabbit on the moon! Explore the customs and traditions behind this special harvest festival from the comfort of your home.
Mid-Autumn Family Festival 2021
Celebrate the harvest moon with these fun activities!

MOCAKIDS Storytime: Mid-Autumn Moon Gazing!
Mooncakes and more— it’s time again for the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival! What stories did the moon star in this year? Attendees found out as we read Mooncakes and shared a retelling of the legend of Chang’E and Hou Yi to celebrate. We zoomed to the moon with some storytime songs before finishing up with a jade rabbit moon viewer craft.
MAKE: Download this template to make and decorate your own jade rabbit moon viewer!
SING: Download this week’s songs and sing along with us!
READ: Click here to download the story of Moon Goddess Chang’E and legendary archer Hou Yi!
Paint a Mid-Autumn Moon!
The harvest moon symbolizes family reunion and coming together. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, families picnic together under the moonlight and gaze at the beautiful full moon.
Share your finished projects with us by tagging #MOCACREATE and #MOCACREATEathome on social media, DMing us, or emailing images to education@mocanyc.org.
Paper Mache a Jade Rabbit!
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Will you watch the full moon (赏月) this Mid-Autumn Festival? If so, you might see the outline of the mythical Jade Rabbit!
READ: How did the Jade Rabbit come to live on the moon? Click here to find out!
Mad for Mooncakes!
Sharing mooncakes with friends and family is a beloved Mid-Autumn tradition.
WATCH: Join pastry chef Rebecca Li (@rebeshouse) as she walks us through the multi-layer process of making mooncakes. Discover the ingredients inside mooncakes and the tools used to make them. Click here to watch!
About Rebecca
Rebecca Li was born and raised in New York City. She is the Chef and owner of “Rebe’s House,” specializing in custom celebration cakes and petit fours. As a second generation Asian American, she’s found a lot of multicultural inspiration both at home and in the melting pot that is New York City. You can check out some of her work on Instagram @rebeshouse!
Mooncakes are a favorite Mid-Autumn Festival treat, but they’re not the only food that’s part of the celebration!