Author Debbi Michiko Florence and I will be making some noise with our February offering in our Asian Culture series. This month we explore Asian drumming through books, crafts, and recipes. We will be learning about Japanese Taiko and Chinese Lion Dance which also has drummers.
This is part two of our 6 Part Asian Craft and Culture Series:
- November 2017: Asian New Year
- February 2018: Asian Drumming
- May 2018: Pink Flamingo Day
- August 2018: Picnic and Scavenger Hunt
- November 2018: Snow Statues
- February 2019: Sumo
Asian Drumming Crafts, Recipes & Books for Kids
Recipe: Almond Cookies (adapted from Allrecipes)
- 2-3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup lard or butter
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 40 almond slivers (or whole almonds)
Activities: Make a Drum
You will need:
- 2 corks
- 2 bbq skewers (I used heavy duty ones)
- twine or string
- glue
- coffee container or oatmeal box
- construction paper or wrapping paper to decorate
- 12 inch balloon
- scissors
Directions:
1. Insert a bbq skewer into the cork by making a hole and wiggling back and forth until the tip is inserted. Glue in place. Repeat with other bbq skewer and cork.
2. Cut out construction paper to fit around carton and glue onto container. My piece of construction paper did not fit all the way around, so I used the leftover scrap to cover the can completely.
3. Cut the narrow part of the balloon off.
4. Stretch the balloon over the can and then wrap string or twine around, tying in place.
5. You are ready to play!
Make a Hachi-Maki (Japanese headband)
Free downloadable PDF here: hachimaki craft. Here’s part of that PDF:
Illustration copyright Elizabet Vukovic for the Hachi-Maki craft.
Asian Drumming Children’s Book List
Taiko Drumming: Jasmine Toguchi, Drummer Girl by Debbi Michiko Florence, illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic
Eight-year-old Jasmine Toguchi isn’t sure what to do for the talent show at school. Her mom introduces her to traditional Japanese drumming, taiko, and she is game to learn. Will she be able to win the talent show and beat out Maggie Milsap (aka Miss Perfect)? [early chapter book, ages 6 and up]
Lion Dance: Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin
This board book celebrates getting ready for Chinese New Year and there is a lot of work to be done including cleaning the house, getting new clothes and preparing a special meal. It’s worth it, though, because Chinese New Year also means fireworks, lion dancers, and a dragon parade at the end.
Lion Dance: Lion Dancer, Ernie Wan’s Chinese New Year by Madeline Slovenz Low and Kate Waters, photographs by Martha Cooper
Six-year-old Ernie Wan has practiced all year at his father’s kung fu studio to be a lion dancer at the Chinese New Year parade. The lion dance will bring good luck in the new year by scaring away evil spirits. The photographs depict his family as they get ready for Ernie’s big event. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Lion Dancer: Cilla Lee-Jenkins: This Book is a Classic by Susan Tan, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte
The sequel to Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire is out March 27th, 2018. The book starts with a Chinese New Year celebration at Chinatown. Cilla dresses in red, receives a red envelope, distributes good luck oranges throughout the house, watches a lion dance parade, and eats a mooncake. [chapter book, ages 8 and up]
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Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award longlist
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
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Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Stanford has a Taiko drumming group. They are amazing to watch!
What a great cultural program! I’ve never seen Taiko at other colleges.
Stanford sounds very supportive of music and musicians. I don’t think other colleges offer Taiko drumming!
Asian cultural drumming program is really awesome and the recipes are good
Thanks Moshin!