On Saint Martin’s Day, thousands of children will once again march through the cities with their lanterns, transforming them into a colorful sea of lights. The little ones are especially proud when they can start walking with a self-made copy.
BILD knows how you can conjure up a real gem with little effort and material. With paper plates from the last garden party, sandwich bags and milk cartons, you can make a last-minute lantern that will also make your child shine.
Balloon and paper mache
This is the classic: the paper mache lantern! Inflate a balloon to the desired size and stick it with scraps of old newspaper or clear construction paper. Let dry and either brush with paint or decorate motifs. Then pop the balloon and attach the wire for the lamp.
Use milk carton or bottle
A good idea: convert a plastic bottle or a milk carton into a lantern. If you have glued and painted them nicely, your child will become the eye-catcher of the move.
Tip: Cut open the milk cartons in some places, as hardly any light can penetrate through the cardboard.
Paint lunch bags
A quick option: Rummage sandwich bags out of the kitchen cupboard and decorate them with a little water color to create great works of art.
A little more time-consuming: paint figurines or faces on the bag, cut them out and cover the surface with greaseproof paper from the inside. LED candles turn the sandwich bag into a real eye-catcher! The children can also get creative themselves. Tip: Prepare the holes for the wire beforehand with adhesive tape so that the bag does not tear unintentionally.
Repurpose paper plates
If you can’t make it to the next handicraft store, you can improvise: Two paper plates can provide the foundation for a great lantern. Use a pair of scissors or a cutter knife to cut out the middle of the plate and then either cover it with brightly colored, transparent craft paper or use baking paper. Then glue the two plates together on the sides and leave an opening about five centimeters wide at the top for the lantern stick, attach some wire so that the lantern also sticks to the stick – done! Whether a lion or Pippi Longstocking, almost any motif is possible with this technique!