What can kids run at a school festival booth?

Min and her best friend ran a booth writing people's names in Hangeul, the Korean alphabet — the only kid-run booth at a fundraising festival of food trucks, parents' booths, activity booths and performances. Visitors chose a font and dropped a donation.

How do you make a Korean name-writing booth at home?

Ours used patterned paper, laminating sheets, palm-sized calligraphy paper and alphabet stamps. The children cut the paper in half, rounded every corner, stamped the booth name, chose several fonts for writing names, made a menu board and a sign, and laminated everything.

How long should a kid-run festival booth stay open?

Ours closed by late morning — under the blazing sun the children tired quickly, so they packed up, got slushies and went off to enjoy the rest of the festival.

Writing Names in Korean: A Kid-Run School Festival Booth

The school festival was coming. Min announced she'd run her own booth with her best friend—writing names in Hangeul. It was a fundraising festival with food trucks and parent's booths, activity booths and performances. Theirs would be the only kid-run booth.

The Forest of Name sign, with foresty colors and patterns

They named it "Forest of Name" and wanted to prepare at home together. Hyun joined in—three girls making their booth. I pulled out patterned paper, laminating sheets, palm-sized calligraphy paper, and alphabet stamps. Little hands cut paper in half, rounded every corner, stamped the booth name. They chose several fonts for writing names, made a menu board, decorated a sign, and laminated everything.

Festival Fun and Hangeul Names

"Choose your favorite font!"

A Parent's Festival Perspective

On the day of the festival, the girls set up next to the Korean booth. Classmates who loved Korean culture came to get their names written. Sometimes curious strangers approached, received their names written in the font they picked, and dropped donations. Yet under the blazing sun, the kids tired quickly. They closed the booth by late morning, got slushies, and wandered off to enjoy the festival.

I volunteered as a parent helper at the book sale. Prices dropped as hours passed, with bonuses piled on. I loved watching kids dig through books hunting favorites, adults bringing children to recommend books, people thrilled to score multiple books cheaply. I bought two bagfuls for my own kids. A treasure of a day.

한국어 요약

학교 축제가 다가오자 Min이 단짝 친구와 부스를 직접 운영하겠다고 했다. 한글로 이름을 써 주는 부스였다. 푸드트럭과 학부모 부스, 체험 부스, 공연이 어우러진 모금 축제에서 아이들이 운영하는 부스는 이것 하나뿐이었다.

부스 이름은 "Forest of Name"이었고, 집에서 함께 준비하고 싶어 했다. Hyun도 합류해 세 아이가 부스를 꾸렸다. 무늬 종이와 코팅지, 손바닥만 한 화선지, 알파벳 도장을 꺼내 주었더니 작은 손들이 종이를 반으로 자르고 모서리를 둥글게 다듬고 부스 이름을 찍었다. 이름을 써 줄 글씨체 몇 가지를 고르고, 메뉴판을 만들고, 간판을 꾸며 모두 코팅했다.

축제 날 아이들은 한국 부스 옆에 자리를 잡았다. 한국 문화를 좋아하는 반 친구들이 이름을 받으러 왔고, 궁금해하던 낯선 사람들도 고른 글씨체로 이름을 받아 가며 기부금을 넣었다. 뜨거운 햇볕에 아이들은 금방 지쳐 오전이 끝날 무렵 부스를 닫고 슬러시를 사 들고 축제를 즐기러 갔다. 나는 도서 판매 부스에서 학부모 도우미를 했다. 시간이 지날수록 값이 내려가고 덤이 쌓였고, 나도 아이들 책을 두 봉지 샀다.

Yussi

Writer · Social work student, Massey University

A mother of three girls and a Korean immigrant making Mairangi Bay home — writing about starting school, home learning and everyday life on Auckland's North Shore.

More about Yussi →

Frequently asked questions

What can kids run at a school festival booth?: Min and her best friend ran a booth writing people's names in Hangeul, the Korean alphabet — the only kid-run booth at a fundraising festival of food trucks, parents' booths, activity booths and performances. Visitors chose a font and dropped a donation.
How do you make a Korean name-writing booth at home?: Ours used patterned paper, laminating sheets, palm-sized calligraphy paper and alphabet stamps. The children cut the paper in half, rounded every corner, stamped the booth name, chose several fonts for writing names, made a menu board and a sign, and laminated everything.
How long should a kid-run festival booth stay open?: Ours closed by late morning — under the blazing sun the children tired quickly, so they packed up, got slushies and went off to enjoy the rest of the festival.

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