Paper Lanterns Craft

We wanted to make a seasonal craft this week, but we couldn’t decide between Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year. So we made classic paper lanterns that could be used for both.

All that you need is cardstock, paint, paint brushes, scissors, and a stapler or tape. Optional supplies include glitter, stickers, crepe paper streamer, or whatever you’d like to decorate your lanterns with. You can tell I’m a fan of simple crafts that don’t require a trip to the craft store! I remember making these in kindergarten, and Tee made a similar one at preschool the other day too.

First Tee went to town painting her paper. I think that’s me she’s painting on her pink paper. “With really big earrings!” she says. We used red and yellow paint in honour of Chinese New Year.

Once her painting was dry, I folded it in half lengthwise and made perpendicular cuts through the fold every inch and a half, leaving about an inch uncut at the edge.

Then I unfolded the paper and held the short edges together while Tee stapled them. You could also use tape or glue if you wanted. And here’s our finished product!

I wouldn’t use actual candles in them for obvious reasons, but if you wanted to use them as real lanterns those little battery-operated tea lights would be perfect.

I love these because they’re so easy to make, even with very young kiddos, but older kids will enjoy exercising their creativity and decorating skills. Once you have the basic lantern made, you can dress these up with glitter, stickers, buttons, or other embellishments. Or if you want a hanging lantern, staple or glue a one inch strip of matching card stock across the top edge for a handle and add streamers on the bottom.

They make cool spyglasses too!

This post is linked up to some fantastic arts and crafts link parties. Check out my Link Parties page to see where I’m linking up and to find some wonderful blogs and more fun activities for kids!