Play dough activities are always a hit with kids, and this Lunar New Year mooncakes activity is the perfect way to celebrate (or learn about) the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.
Using a mooncakes mold is also a fun way to create with play dough, and your little one can switch out the design plate and make lots of different creations!
This mooncake activity is fun for kids of all ages from toddlers to elementary students. Check out all of our play dough projects for more fun!
Looking for more Lunar New Year ideas?
- Lunar New Year Books and Activity ideas
- Paper Lantern Craft
- Mooncakes Crayon Craft
- Lunar New Year Tic-Tac-Toe
What are mooncakes?
Mooncakes are a traditional Chinese bakery item that are typically eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival focuses on moon appreciation and the mooncakes have a tender dough on the outside, and are filled with either sweet or savory fillings.
Why kids love Play Dough Mooncakes:
- Doing a fun activity is a great way for kids to celebrate a holiday (or learn about a new holiday that others celebrate).
- Kids will love getting to make different mooncakes by switching out the plate on the press, and they can even pretend to eat their mooncakes with a little stuffed animal Lunar New Year party!
What you’ll need to make it:
Tips:
- Try and make your rolled ball of dough small enough to fit inside the mooncake press. That will give you the best looking mooncake!
- Smaller kids can either try to roll a ball of dough or just stick amounts of dough into the press opening until they have enough, and then help them press down to create their mooncake.
- Try giving your kid a dull-edged butter spreader to cut their little cakes into pieces (to pretend eat or serve) to their little stuffy friends for a Lunar New Year party!
How to make Play Dough Mooncakes:
- Use the mooncake press patterns to choose which pattern your kid would like to press into a mooncake.
- Roll a ball of play dough about 1.2″ big and set the mooncake press over the top of it on a tabletop or hard surface. Press down with the mooncake press handle until it stops. Then, lift up slightly and keep pressing so the formed mooncake will come out the bottom of the press.
- You can mix colors together to create marbled mooncakes by twisting “snakes” of colors together before rolling into a ball.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you store the play dough mooncakes?
Just like regular play dough, you want seal your mooncakes in an airtight container (or plastic sealable bag) to keep them from drying out—that way you can play with them again later or smush them again to create new ones!
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Get the How-To
Supplies
- play dough
Instructions
- Use the mooncake press patterns to choose which pattern your kid would like to press into a mooncake.
- Roll a ball of play dough about 1.2″ big and set the mooncake press over the top of it on a tabletop or hard surface.Press down with the mooncake press handle until it stops and then lift up slightly and keep pressing so the formed mooncake will come out the bottom of the press.
- You can mix colors together to create marbled mooncakes by twisting “snakes” of colors together before rolling into a ball.
Equipment
Notes
- Try and make your rolled ball of dough small enough to fit inside the mooncake press—that will give you the best looking mooncake!
- Smaller kids can either try to roll a ball of dough or just stick amounts of dough into the press opening until you have enough and then help them press down to create their mooncake.
- Try giving your kid a dull-edged butter spreader to cut their little cakes into pieces to pretend eat or serve to their little stuffy friends for a Lunar New Year party!
