Crafters of all ages will have fun making these Fourth of July paper lanterns. They can be used as home decor decoration or strung together to form a lantern garland. Create easy evening table decorations with the addition of a battery-operated tea light candle. This is a great kid’s craft for parties and events all summer long!
Gather these supplies:
- 8½” x 11″ red, white, and blue cardstock
- Self-adhesive stars (mine are from the office supply store)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Double sided tape
Let’s make Fourth of July paper lanterns:
- Cut the cardstock as shown. One sheet of cardstock will make two lanterns.
- Fold one of the 8″ x 5½” pieces in half lengthwise. Use a bone folder or the side of a pencil to get a crisp fold.
- Open the piece of cardstock, and score a line ¾” from the top and another ¾” from the bottom.
- Refold the cardstock with the folded edge toward the bottom. Measure lines spaced 1″ apart. Mark the line from the scored line to the folded edge.
- Cut the marked lines from the fold to the scored edge.
- As a strip of double sided tape along the bottom of one of the lantern fins, as shown below.
- Overlap the edges to form the lantern. Be sure the folded edge faces outward.
- Cut the 11″ strip in half. These strips will be the handles for the two lanterns.
- Tape the handle in place as the top of the lantern.
- Repeat for the other 8″ x 5½” piece of cardstock.
- Now, decorate your lanterns with the self-adhesive stars. My set had red, blue, silver, green, and gold stars. I used the red, blue, and silver ones, and saved the green and gold for another project.
- Have fun with your Fourth of July celebrations!
Be sure to visit the Bowdabra blog every Friday for more kid’s crafts and art projects.