Make your own Chinese Lantern!

Paper lanterns are a fun way to decorate your home for Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival. Make many different kinds of lantern and hang them in your room or around your house for festivals or just for show!

You will need:
Colour paper/gift-wrap paper
Glue, tape or stapler
A pair of scissors
Glitter, sequins, ribbons, beads, and so on to decorate your lantern.

Step 1
Fold the colour/gift-wrap paper in half, making a long, thin rectangle.


Step 2
Make 10-12 cuts along the fold line. DON'T CUT ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP.


Step 3
Unfold the paper. Roll it into a tube to shape the lantern. Glue, tape or staple the short edges of the paper together.


Step 4
Cut a strip of paper 15 cm long and 2 cm wide. Glue, tape or staple this strip of paper across the top of the lantern - this will be the handle of your lantern.


Step 5
If you like, use glitter, sequins or other things to decorate your lantern. HURRAY! You've made a lantern! Make some more and hang them around your home.



Did you know?
Lanterns are hung in the streets and in homes, or attached to sticks for children to play with during the 15 days of Chinese New Year, as well as on the 15th day of the eight month during the Mooncake or Lantern Festival. Some lanterns are shaped like animals, boats, fruits or popular cartoon characters.