Make Your Own Paper Lantern A Barefoot Activity for Kids Ages 4 to 7 Chinese lanterns are made from paper and bamboo formed into shapes such as rabbits, butterflies or lobsters. You can create your own lantern by following the instructions below. Materials 8 ½" x 11" sheet of paper, scissors and glue Let’s Begin 1. Decorate a piece of 8½" x 11" paper. 2. Fold the paper in half lengthways. Crease the center fold sharply. 3. Hold the paper with the fold at the bottom, and start cutting toward the opposite open edge, approximately 1 inch in from the narrow side. Do not cut all the way up; leave approximately 1 inch of uncut paper at the top.
Lin Yi’s Lantern A Moon Festival Tale Written by Brenda Williams Illustrated by Benjamin Lacombe Hardcover 9781846861475 $16.99
4. Repeat step 3, cutting eight more slits at 1 inch intervals along the center fold. 5. Open up the paper. 6. Apply glue to one short end and roll and attach it to the other to form a “tube.” Gently push the top down slightly to form the lantern shape. 7. Cut a narrow strip of paper and glue it to the top of the lantern to make a handle. 1
2
4
5
www.barefootbooks.com
3
6
7
Moon Fairy Moon Cakes Recipe A Barefoot Activity for Kids Ages 7 to 12 Not everyone can pedal to the market to buy moon cakes during the Moon Festival like Lin Yi. Sometimes it’s more fun to make your own! Use this recipe to make some Moon Fairy moon cakes at home. Hands-on Prep Time 20 minutes (plus 2 hours for soaking beans for filling) Cooking Time 20 minutes Materials Filling 1 pound dried red azuki beans ¾ cup cooking oil or lard 1¾ cups sugar
• ••
Lin Yi’s Lantern A Moon Festival Tale Water-Shortening Dough 2 cups flour 5 tablespoons cooking oil 10 tablespoons water ¼ teaspoon salt
•• •• ••
Flaky Dough 1 cup flour 5 tablespoons lard
Equipment Cheesecloth Cookie design stamp Mold Red food coloring for design Rolling pin Strainer Saucepan
•• •• •• •
let’s begin Filling 1. The first thing to make is the filling for the moon cakes. (You may wish to set aside time for this before beginning the dough portion of the project with children.) Start by soaking the red beans in water with a cover for 2 hours. Drain the beans and discard the water. Cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. 2. Simmer over low heat for 1½ hours or until the skins of the beans open. 3. Strain the beans and discard the skins. Place the strained beans in several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze out any excess water. 4. Place in a saucepan with the oil and the sugar. 5. Cook, stirring continuously, until almost all the moisture has evaporated. 6. Let cool until needed for filling the dough. Dough 1. Divide the filling into 20 equal portions and shape into balls. 2. Mix ingredients for the water-shortening dough and the flaky dough separately until both are smooth. Divide the shortening dough and the flaky dough into 20 equal portions each. 3. Wrap each portion of flaky dough inside each portion of water-shortening dough. Roll out each piece of dough with a rolling pin, and then fold in thirds to form three layers. Roll out again, and once more fold in thirds to form three layers. (continued on next page)
www.barefootbooks.com
Written by Brenda Williams Illustrated by Benjamin Lacombe Hardcover 9781846861475 $16.99
Dough (continued) 4. Flatten each piece of dough with the palm of your hand to form a 3" circle. Place one portion of filling in the center. Gather the edges to enclose the filling and pinch to seal the ball with your fingers. Place the filled packet in the mold, gently pressing to fit. Invert and remove the mold. 5. Dilute the red food coloring with water and pour onto a damp paper towel on a plate. Put some food coloring onto the cookie-design stamp, and then press on top of the moon cake. Here’s a tip! Stamp the moon cake with a picture of the jade hare or the Moon Fairy. A decorative stamp for the top of the moon cake can be found in most Asian grocers—especially around the Moon Festival in early October. 6. Repeat the process for the remaining moon cakes. 7. Arrange the moon cakes on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 8. Let cool before serving. Enjoy!
www.barefootbooks.com