Autumn Festivals Across Asia: A Guide to Cultural Dolls for Kids

Families celebrate by gathering under the full moon, sharing mooncakes, and telling legends like Chang’e, the moon goddess. Lanterns glow across neighborhoods, children carry rabbit-shaped lights, and families exchange fruit as symbols of unity and blessings. This autumn festival is all about reunion and gratitude.

During Tsukimi, families set out trays of seasonal foods like rice dumplings (tsukimi dango) and taro, decorate with pampas grass, and sit quietly under the moon. It’s a time to appreciate nature, beauty, and the changing seasons. Children learn to slow down, observe, and reflect alongside their families.

Tết Trung Thu is a festival full of joy and community. Streets light up with star-shaped lanterns, families watch lion dances, and kids enjoy mooncakes and fruits arranged on festive trays. The holiday celebrates the importance of children, symbolizing light, hope, and happiness.

Chuseok is one of Korea’s biggest holidays, where families return to their hometowns to honor ancestors, share a harvest feast, and exchange gifts. Traditional foods like songpyeon (half-moon rice cakes) are made together, and children often wear hanbok while playing folk games and spending time with cousins.

On Sharad Purnima, families gather outdoors to pray under the bright harvest moon. It’s said the moonlight carries healing energy on this night. Many families prepare kheer (sweet rice pudding) and leave it out overnight to absorb moonbeams, later sharing it as a blessing of health and prosperity.

At Joeydolls, we’ve created a collection of Mid-Autumn Festival activities for kids, featuring free printables, a lantern craft, and the story of Chang’e and the Moon Rabbit. Our Mid-Autumn Festival Bundles also combine these activities with dolls dressed in traditional outfits, giving children a fun, hands-on way to explore cultural traditions while fostering confidence and joy.

• Cultural Identity: Kids see themselves reflected in dolls that look like them or their friends

• Inclusive Play: Dolls spark curiosity and empathy across cultures

• Autumn Activities: Storytelling, pretend play, and even sharing festival foods become more fun with a cuddly companion

• Perfect Gift for Girls (and boys too!): Safe, snuggly, and meaningful toddler toys that grow with them
  
  

Cultural identity helps kids feel grounded, confident, and proud of who they are. When children see themselves and their heritage reflected in everyday play, it tells them: your story matters. Dolls in traditional outfits make it easy for kids to explore their roots, ask questions, and share their culture with friends.

For Asian American dolls in particular, this representation bridges home traditions with their experiences in the U.S. For non-Asian families, these dolls also nurture empathy and inclusivity, showing kids that the world is beautifully diverse and worth celebrating.