Easy DIY Paper Lanterns

Paper lanterns are part of many festive holiday traditions around the world. From the Independence Day parades of Costa Rica to the Moon Festivals across Asia to the Yi Peng festival in Thailand, paper lanterns are cultural symbols with often spiritual meaning. This kodomo kid-friendly craft will bring light and warmth into your home!

First gather two contrasting colored sheets of paper. Cut two vertical strips from the lighter colored paper. (This will be the inner “lamp” part of the lantern.)
Fold the other (darker) sheet in half lengthwise.
Make evenly spaced cuts through the centerfold line, about 1/2 an inch apart. Note: Be sure not to cut all the way to the edge of the paper, leave about an inch at the end.
Roll the outer (darker) paper vertically to create the cylinder, and staple both ends to connect.
Roll the inner (lighter) paper vertically to create a smaller cylinder, staple to close, and insert into the outer cylinder.
Two leftover strips can be glued around top and bottom as decoration (see above).
Ta-dah!