Calling all campers! Check out this great camping craft. Making your own camping lantern craft with a pretty minimal supply list. Follow the tutorial below to make your own lantern.
Camping Lantern Craft
I am so excited to add a brand new camping themed craft to the blog today! A few months ago, I shared this recycled material DIY lantern and today’s craft is a different lantern style. You might choose to make one of each! Or, simply pick your favorite.
Before you dive into this craft, make sure you take a look at the other DIY crafts on the site! Our collection is really starting to grow!
This camping lantern craft would be the perfect summer camp craft, or art activity to correspond with any unit on the outdoors, camping, etc.
Camping Lantern Supply List
Round up the following supplies to make this lantern:
- Cardboard
- Construction paper (Red)
- Empty bottled water
- Hot glue gun
- School Glue
- Box knife
- Twine
- Scissors
- Double sided tape
- Battery Operated Tea Light Candle
- Single hole puncher
How to Make a Paper Camping Lantern
Follow the steps below to make your own lantern!
1. Draw and cut four circles from the cardboard paper.
2. Trace these circles on red construction paper. Cut out the red construction paper circles and glue the red circles on top of the cardboard circles.
3. Cut (2) 1×11 inch strips out of the cardboard and (2) 1×5.5 inch strips out of the cardboard.
4. Cover these cardboard strips by gluing red construction paper on top, just like you did with the circles.
5. Using the single hole puncher, make two holes at the opposite ends of the red circular cardboard. Then attach a 1 foot long piece of twine at the two holes (see picture below for example).
6. Use a hot glue gun to attach a rectangular strip and 2nd red circle to the bottom of the red circle that you just added the twine to. The end result is a 3D shape. Repeat with the remaining circles and rectangle.
7. Cut the top and bottom off of the empty water bottle. Cut a “window” in the middle of the bottle’s body. This window is where you can take the candle in and out of the lantern.
8. Use the hot glue gun and glue the lantern together in the following order:
- Take the red 3D circle that does NOT have the twine tied to it. This is the bottom of the lantern. Glue bottom of the water bottle body to the red bottom.
- Glue the top red 3D circle to the top of the bottle body.
9. Turn the candle on and place it inside the water bottle.
10. Give the twine a lift once the glue has dried completely. The string should hold the lantern’s weight!
That’s it!
Craft complete!
Hang your lantern up around the house/classroom or place it on a shelf. This lantern would also make an adorable bedroom nightlight.
Let us know if you give this craft a try! Feel free to tag us on social media – we would love to see how your project turned out!
