ELFA Preschool @ Cangzhou Laba Festival Activity

The eighth day of the 12^th lunar month marks Laba Festival (腊八节), an important traditional folk celebration. To commemorate this occasion, ELFA Preschool @ Cangzhou organised a Laba Festival food education programme. Through hands-on exploration of Laba porridge ingredients and the preparation of pickled Laba garlic, children experienced unique seasonal customs, nurturing a sense of cultural identity and appreciation.

ELFA educators introduced the origins of the festival through engaging visual stories: In ancient times, ancestors cooked porridge using mixed grains during winter to honour their forebears and pray for blessings—expressing gratitude for nature’s abundance and hopes for a prosperous year ahead.
This tradition has been passed down through generations, becoming a warm bond that connects families, nature, and cultural heritage.

In the “Food Education Classroom”, eight ingredients including rice, millet, red beans, mung beans, lily bulbs, oats, sorghum, and red dates, were carefully displayed on the tables. Children observed, touched, and compared the different grains, learning about healthy eating while understanding the concept of “abundant harvest” and the harmonious relationship between humans and nature.

With excitement, the children added the ingredients into the pot, eagerly anticipating the creation of a nourishing dish.

The “Laba Garlic Workshop” was equally lively. Peeling garlic, placing it into jars, and pouring vinegar were completed step by step. The jars of garlic sealed by the children will slowly transform from white to green serving as a gentle sign that the Lunar New Year is approaching.

The Laba Festival activities reflect ELFA’s belief that “life itself is education.” True food education nurtures respect for nature and a love for life.