These paper lantern craft ideas are so colorful and fun. Each of these fun ideas start with an inexpensive paper lantern and with a little craftiness ends up to be a unique and awesome decoration you can hang at home, use for a party or surprise someone with a lovely and unexpected gift. Kids of all ages can participate in the paper lantern fun!

Paper lantern crafts for kids - collage of 7 different crafts that start with a round paper lantern
Let’s make paper lantern crafts!

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Paper LAntern Crafts We Love

These floating spheres make for beautiful room decorations and there are so many cute ways to use them.

Related: Make your own paper lantern

Paper lanterns <–Click to buy | are inexpensive and available in a variety of colors and sizes, so you can even make a several of the same craft for more fun.

1. Kissing Fish Craft Made from Paper Lanterns

Make eyes, heart shaped puckered lips, and fins, and add different colored lanterns for the prettiest floating fish.

Courtesy of Creative Ideas on Facebook

2. DIY Paper Lantern Octopus Idea

Continue the under the sea theme, compress the lanterns slightly, and add streamers and ribbons to the bottom to make hanging jellyfish.

Courtesy of Creative Ideas on Facebook

3. Intact Paper Lantern Octopus Craft Idea

These purple lanterns turned into octopi are just adorable.  Cut outs of legs and tentacles and eyes are all it takes.

Courtesy of Creative Ideas on Facebook

4. Make a Paper Lantern Owl

More paper accents easily turn paper lanterns into owls, just add eyes, a beak, and wings. Wouldn’t they perfect in a woodland themed nursery or bedroom?

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5. Paper Lantern Mickey Mouse Head You Can Make

Red and yellow accents on black lanterns make simple Mickey Mouse shaped heads.  Just cut circles for ears and Mickey shaped oval buttons.

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6. Paper Lantern Mickey Mouse Full Body Craft

Or mix and match red and black lanterns together and add yellow shoes for a Mickey Mouse silhouette.

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7. Make Minions from Paper Lanterns!

Black and white construction paper to make goggles and eyeballs, paired with yellow paper lanterns, make the cutest Minions!  They’d be perfect for a Minion themed birthday party too.

Courtesy of Creative Ideas on Facebook

8. Paper Lantern Hot Air Balloons DIY

Instead of suspending the the paper lanterns from the ceiling, attach them to baskets with thin dowels to turn them into hot air balloons.  Or use string and the baskets will hang for floating balloons.

Courtesy of Creative Ideas on Facebook

For more awesome paper lantern ideas, check out the entire post on Facebook. You can also order Paper Lanterns on Amazon Here.

More Paper Crafts & Ideas from Kids Activities Blog

Which paper lantern craft are you trying first?



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3 Comments

  1. What a wonderful article! These paper lantern making ideas look both easy and fun to make. My kids are going to love them.

  2. Oh my goodness, these paper lantern crafts are so cute! I think these paper lanterns would be perfect for the summer birthday parties! I am going to use the hot air balloon paper lanterns for an UP themed birthday party.