Preschool: Lantern craft ideas to make in summer!
Lantern crafts perfect for Tanabata and summer festivals.
Making them with children is fun, but it can end up being the same method every year, or sometimes the process feels difficult.
So here, we introduce lantern-making ideas you can enjoy with kids.
From simple to slightly challenging, there are various materials and techniques.
You might find options suited to the children’s ages.
By creating while having fun, you can spend time that becomes a lasting memory.
子どもたちと一緒に、すてきなランタン作りをぜひ楽しんでください！注：子どもたちが作ったものは作品として扱われるため、本文では「制作」と表記しています。
[Childcare] Lantern craft ideas to make in summer! (1–10)
A small and cute lantern
Round shape! Here are some ideas for small, cute lanterns.
Are you thinking of making lanterns for a festival event or to decorate a wall? These ideas feature colorful, rounded designs that are perfect if you’re imagining adorable lanterns.
You’ll need four sheets of origami paper, two additional sheets of origami paper, wire, glue, scissors, a craft knife, a pencil, and a ruler.
Since wire is used, please be very careful not to injure your fingers on the ends, and make sure to cut it safely.
Dokin-chan lantern
Sure to attract attention! Here’s an idea for a Dokin-chan lantern.
Let’s make a lantern of “Dokin-chan” from the hugely popular children’s series “Anpanman.” You’ll need orange origami paper, glue or double-sided tape, and a pen.
The lantern’s rounded shape becomes Dokin-chan’s face, so it’s sure to catch kids’ eyes.
By playing with the color of the paper and the folding method, you can adapt it into other characters too.
Wash painting: Lantern
Let’s make a vibrant lantern using the wet-on-wet painting technique.
First, draw on a sheet of washi (rice paper) with a pen, then mist it with a spray bottle to create a bleeding effect.
Since wet washi tears easily, adjust your setup so you can leave it undisturbed until it dries.
Next, fold a quarter-size sheet of drawing paper.
Leave a 3 cm margin at one edge and fold the paper in half; then fold the folded side into a 3 cm-wide flap as well.
After that, fold the drawing paper in half, then fold it in half two more times.
Unfold it and, using the crease lines as guides, cut away any unnecessary parts.
Finally, glue the bleeding artwork onto the drawing paper, make slits along the crease lines, and shape it into a lantern.
[Ages 3 and up] Chōchin Obake
![[Ages 3 and up] Chōchin Obake](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_VhxJiBoTlg/sddefault.jpg)
How about making a lantern ghost with a summery vibe? First, cut construction paper into strips, put double-sided tape on one end, and stick it to the inside of a paper cup.
Shape the paper to wrap around the outside of the cup, then attach the other end of the strip to the bottom of the cup.
After attaching a black paper band, stick on some eyes to the outer paper—and you’re done! Giving it a slightly sleepy look will make it feel more ghost-like.
It’s perfect for summer festivals.
Try making them together and compare how spooky everyone’s lantern turned out.
milk carton lantern
Simple and mass-producible! Here are ideas for milk-carton lanterns.
When using lanterns for summer festivals or wall displays, there are times you’ll need to make many.
These ideas are simple and easy to understand—perfect for such situations.
You’ll need milk cartons, permanent markers, scissors, a stapler, a hole punch, and string, among other items.
The steps are straightforward, but since some parts involve measuring with a ruler, it’s best to work in a calm environment.
Finishing them in bright colors will help lift the mood, too.
[Origami] Simple Lantern
![[Origami] Simple Lantern](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/R1U9wKFUE9g/sddefault.jpg)
Let’s make a simple lantern using origami.
First, fold a sheet of white origami paper in half.
Next, prepare a sheet of origami paper in the color you want for the lantern and make crease lines on it.
After folding a narrow strip along the edge, fold the paper in half, then in half again—folding it a total of three times.
Unfold it, and carefully cut along the crease lines with scissors, taking care not to cut through the edge.
Cut off only the single strip on the left side, and glue the edge to the white origami paper.
Lift the outer colored paper, apply glue to the opposite side of the white paper, and attach the outer paper so it curves outward into a rounded shape.
Finally, shape it into a circle and attach a black origami band to finish!
Lanterns that can also be used on walls
Let’s make it with colored construction paper! Here are some lantern ideas you can also use for wall displays.
These ideas are perfect if you want to decorate a wall with lanterns.
Cut colored construction paper into long, narrow strips and shape them into lanterns.
What you’ll need: colored construction paper, black construction paper, scissors, and glue or double-sided tape.
The mood changes depending on the colors you choose, so try arranging them to match the image you want to create.
It’s also lovely to use construction paper that kids have scribbled on with crayons!