My heritage, as represented in file folders.

We're just through a rash of celebrations including two birthdays, an anniversary, and two Passover Seders.  Last week brought Childrens' Day, a Japanese holiday which is sometimes celebrated in the Japanese American community.

For Passover I was asked to lead an activity which involve hiding the afikoman - a piece of matzoh which the kids hide during the Seder and is later returned in exchange for a small prize.  Since the kids who were attending aren't old enough to sew with cloth and needle, I punched holes in blue file folders and they sewed them together with yarn.  I found some clip art for them to glue on one side, too.

For Childrens' Day I wanted to do an activity with my son's preschool class.  With some help from my mom I settled on making koi wind socks (koi nobori), which are traditionally put outside houses for this holiday.  Here are directions if you'd like to make your own.

So I cut carp bodies out of yellow file folders and had the kids glue on scales and eyes and stuff them with newspaper.  They also added streamers to blow in the wind. 

You never know what to expect from file folders.

Want to get email updates from the Motherwear Blog?  Subscribe here.  Want an RSS feed?  Click here.

 

Comments

[andrea]

Thanks for sharing Tanya. I liked how creative and rich with tradition the activities were. Most of all how it sounds like you made the activities accessible to the kids!

[Averi the CrunchyLactivist]

I love it! I must say this is one thing I miss about living in Japan (now in VA)...seeing families of koi on a pole. ;) Where I lived in the Tokyo/Yokohama area it lasts a whole week! Great to see you carry the tradtion stateside.

[Toby Lieberman]

Here's the proof I'm enjoying your family news along with the vital information.

Max's proud greatgrandma
Toby