Are you looking for ideas on how to celebrate the harvest moon with your kids?
Whether you are looking for seasonal crafts, fun outdoor activities for all the family, traditional stories and a great book selection, or just an explanation of what the harvest moon is, read on for how to make the beautiful harvest moon a family celebration this year.
What Is the Harvest Moon?
The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox, usually appearing in September but sometimes in early October.
It’s known for its rich golden colour and unusually early rise time, lighting the sky just after sunset and lingering longer than most full moons.
Due to its warm, orange glow and early rise time, the Harvest Moon once helped farmers work longer into the evening during harvest season, lighting their fields well after sunset.
The harvest moon is also often a supermoon.
Its appearance signals the changing of the seasons and offers families a natural reason to slow down and savour the beauty of autumn together.
Why Celebrate the Harvest Moon with Children?
The transition into fall is full of sensory magic: rustling leaves, crisp air, golden light, and the smell of apples and spices.
It’s the perfect time to connect with your kids through nature, art and storytelling.
Fall is a season full of colour, cosiness, and change, something that children are naturally drawn to.
Celebrating the Harvest Moon with your kids allows them to connect with the rhythm of nature, learn about seasonal traditions, and enjoy simple moments outdoors.
The Harvest Moon also invites children to slow down, look up, and join in the rhythms of the natural world.
It becomes more than just a moon, it’s a reason to pause, reflect, and spend intentional time together as a family.
Start the celebration with a scavenger hunt to find the signs of autumn where you live:
How to Celebrate the Harvest Moon with Kids
If you home educate or homeschool your kids you may have the whole day, or even a week, to celebrate this year's harvest moon.
Below we have some ideas for crafts to make, foods to bake and books to read.
But if you only have the evening to celebrate with your family, begin your celebration just before sunset.
The Harvest Moon tends to rise earlier than other full moons, making it especially easy for young children to see.
Find a comfortable outdoor spot, maybe in your garden or backyard, on a porch, or at a local park.
Get cosy and settle in with warm blankets and something comforting to drink, like warm apple juice or hot cocoa.
As the sky deepens into twilight, the Harvest Moon will rise low and glowing, creating a moment that feels both ancient and magical.
Ways to Celebrate the Harvest Moon with Kids
You can add even more meaning to your celebrations with a simple craft or activity.
Kids love making their own paper moons or lanterns using those goregous autumn shades of orange, yellow, brown and red.
These handmade creations can be hung in windows or carried on a moonlit walk to add a special glow to the evening.
Harvest Moon Crafts
Here are a few seasonal fall crafts that kids of all ages can enjoy.
One favourite activity is creating moon suncatchers using wax paper, autumn leaves, and bits of colored tissue paper.
Autumn moon suncatchers can be made with wax paper, tissue paper, and optional pressed leaves.
Help the children to make colourful moons that glow when taped to a sunny window.
Kids can design their own glowing moons by layering shapes and textures between sheets, which you can then hang in windows to catch the morning and evening light.
Another fun craft is creating a moon phase garland.
Use printable templates of the moon's phases - full moon, gibbous, half and crescent phases - cut them out and string onto twine or yarn.
Not only does this decorate your space beautifully, but it also introduces children to the different phases of the moon in a hands-on way.
Adding real elements from nature, like pressed leaves or acorns, turns this into a lovely mixed-media art project that reflects the season beautifully.
Or you can simply paint images of the Harvest Moon:
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For little hands, a simple Harvest Moon lantern can be made by wrapping orange or yellow tissue paper around a clean jar, gluing it in place, and popping in a battery powered tealight.
These glowing jars can guide the way on a moonlit family walk or become part of your evening centerpiece.
For older kids, apply a layer of glue to the inside of the jar and have them apply ripped up pieces of tissue paper in different fall colours to the inside.
These glowing lanterns are perfect for carrying on a moonlit walk or setting on a table to light up an evening celebration.
If you’re feeling playful, you could organize a mini Harvest Moon parade.
Let kids dress up in forest animal costumes or wear handmade leaf crowns, then walk through your neighbourhood with their lanterns and maybe some rainmakers or shakers.
Chatter and laughter fill the air making it a fun and joyful way to burn off some excited energy before settling down for stargazing and storytime.
These crafts are perfect for both younger and older kids and bring the beauty of the Harvest Moon indoors during the day.
More autumn craft ideas:
Harvest Moon Storytime
Another lovely way to celebrate is by telling stories under the moonlight.
Whether you read a seasonal picture book, retell an old harvest legend or moon myth, or make up a new moon-themed tale together, storytelling helps spark imagination and deepen the feeling of connection.
Taljk about nocturnal animals and ask your kids to imagine what animals might do when the moon rises - do foxes dance? Do owls hold meetings?
If your family enjoys writing, you might even jot down a short poem or memory about the night in a shared journal.
Have a few autumn-themed picture books ready or enhance your Harvest Moon celebration with cosy storytime featuring beautifully illustrated books that capture the spirit of the season.
Hello, Harvest Moon is a lyrical and gentle tale that explores the quiet beauty, calm and wonder of a moonlit night in autumn.
Whilst Possum’s Harvest Moon brings warmth and whimsy to the evening, as a group of woodland creatures gather for one last festive celebration under the glow of the moon before winter.
And By the Light of the Harvest Moon offers a magical glimpse into how nature comes alive under the golden glow and is illuminated by the golden moonlight.
Reading these stories together by lantern light or candle glow creates a beautiful and memorable way to wind down your moonlit evening.
Harvest Moon Baking
Earlier in the day you might want to bake a simple harvest treat, perhaps pumpkin muffins, spiced apple cake or some cinnamon buns.
Baking Harvest Moon goodies together can become a sweet tradition.
Try whipping up a batch of pumpkin spice muffins, cinnamon moon cookies, or warm apple hand pies.
Even simple cornbread becomes special when served under the glow of the moon.
Kids can help mix, stir, and decorate, and they’ll love having their treats as part of your Harvest Moon celebration.
Letting children help with measuring, mixing, and decorating makes the experience more hands-on, and the baking will fill your home with delicious smells that complement the season.
More autumn baking ideas:
A Gentle Autumn Tradition
Finally, take a moment to reflect together.
What are you grateful for this season? What are your favourite things about fall?
The Harvest Moon is a symbol of abundance and appreciation, and even young children can begin to understand the joy of giving thanks for what they have.
Keeping a Harvest Moon journal adds a reflective element to your family tradition.
Invite everyone to write or draw something about the evening.
Children can draw their crafted lanterns or suncatchers, write about what the moon looked like, or note their favourite parts of the night: what the moon looked like, how the air smelled, what they felt.
This journal can become a cherished part of each year's autumn ritual, slowly filling with memories that stretch across seasons.
The Harvest Moon provides an enchanting way to connect with nature, creativity, and each other.
By combining crafts, stories, and simple autumn activities, you create meaningful, lasting memories under the warm glow of the moon.
Whether making lanterns, hanging moon phase garlands, creating suncatchers, or reading beloved Harvest Moon books, these are family traditions to treasure.
Happy Harvest Moon!
More autumn ideas:
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