Festival of Lights Lanterns

Time

Art & Crafts

PDF Resources

4 3 2 1 Early-Mid Stages

Benefits

Participants

One to One or Group Activity

What you need

Thin card in a variety of colours (A4 is good but you can go bigger)
Variety of ribbons
Sparkly gems and buttons
Lantern template -download resources
Images of lanterns
Ruler, pencil, glue, and stapler

Intro

Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights. It’s where people across India (and beyond!) celebrate the triumph of light over dark and good over evil. Colourful lanterns and clay lamps are lit everywhere, bathing the world in golden hues of light. It’s a true feast for the eyes!

This Autumn let’s make a lantern of our own for Diwali. This activity is great as a one to one activity or with a group of friends and family.

Top tip

Need a simpler-style lantern? Skip cutting the lines. Instead, just take a sheet of card and tape it into a cylindrical shape, then add the gems and ribbons.

The Activity

Invite the person or group to the table.
Lay out the card and embellishments on the table.
Show everyone the lantern images and talk about Diwali and its meaning.
Encourage each person to choose what colour card they would like to use.

Step 1: Take 1 sheet of coloured card.
Step 2: Fold in half lengthways.
Step 3: Using the template as a guide, draw evenly spaced lines up from the folded edge, leaving a 1-2cm gap at the top edge, then cut the lines.
Step 4: Open up the card.
Step 5: From the short edge, curl it into a cylindrical shape and tape together at the top and bottom.
Step 6: Push down the lantern gently, so the cut lines open up, then stick on gems in symmetrical or random patterns.
Step 7: Tape 1 ribbon to the lantern to create a handle, and then tape more so they dangle down like tassels.

5. Your lantern is now ready to hang up in a room in celebration of the Festival of Lights!

PDF Resource PDF Resource 2