Make a paper lantern
Brighten up your home for Diwali, or any festival, with a simple paper lantern!
Copy this onto colored paper, so you don’t cut the newspaper.
You need
A sheet of colored paper (A4 size is good), a strip of paper for the handle, scissors, glue or tape, and crayons or stickers.
Decorate first!
Before you cut, draw patterns on the paper: dots, stars, diyas or a kolam. Use bright colors so it shines!
Make it glow
Put a small battery torch or a fairy light inside. Never put a real flame inside a paper lantern!
Four easy steps
1. Fold
Fold the paper in half the long way.
2. Cut
Cut slits from the fold. Stop before the edges!
3. Roll
Open it up. Roll it into a tube and tape the ends.
4. Hang
Tape on the handle strip. Hang it up!
Make a lantern string
Make three or four small lanterns from half sheets of paper. Hang them on a string across your window!
Lanterns around the world
In Maharashtra, star-shaped lanterns called akash kandils hang outside homes at Diwali. In China, red paper lanterns are hung for the New Year.
Did you know?Paper lanterns have been made for more than 1,000 years!
Try itWhat colors will you use for your lantern?