Japanese lantern craft

Paper lanterns are often associated with festivals in Japan, and are a great craft activity for little fingers to get those scissor skills honed.

For this craft you will need – scissors, a piece of coloured paper, a piece of white paper, a pen and a stapler. First, fold the piece of coloured paper in half lengthways. Then draw strips evenly spaced along the folded edge, stopping a few cm away from the other edge of the paper. Cut along these strips. Now open out the paper, and then form a cylinder shape by joining the two shorter ends together. Attach them together at the top and bottom using the stapler.

Next, cut two strips off the white piece of paper from along the shorter edge. Roll the remaining white paper into a cylinder and stick it into the lantern. Secure in place with the stapler. Use the two strips of white paper to form the top and bottom rims of the lantern and attach using the stapler.

My preschooler was so thrilled that he had made something so easily that looked really good!