Celebrate balmy Summer evenings with this simple but fun Firefly Paper Lantern craft.
This is the third in our Firefly Printable series and makes a cute paper decoration. You can turn it into a “real” lantern by placing a battery-operated LED tealight beneath it.
Get the Firefly Lantern Template here
These firefly paper lanterns are based on the classic paper lanterns I remember making myself when I was young. We also have a mini version my own girls made years ago as preschoolers.
They’re super easy to make and are great fine motor skill practice for younger kids. With this version, I’ve decorated the finished lanterns with fireflies to give them a twilight Summer twist.
The fireflies are more fiddly to colour and cut out than the basic lantern base. For that reason, this craft is recommended for kids aged 6+, although if you have preschoolers at home it would still be a fun activity for them to do together with an adult.
The template has been designed to create two lanterns in a dual tone by swapping the bottom rim strip and handle on the printed templates.
I’ve also created a group crafting set to make it easier when working with multiple kids. With the group set, you can print a set of bases and a set of handles and rims (4 per page) to an alternative colour.
The firefly insects ‘glow’ with the help of yellow highlighter and stand out on the blue paper.
Here is how the lanterns look ‘lit up’ by LED tealights.
These would make a fun kids’ activity or paper decoration for Summer BBQ’s or parties.
Are you ready to get started?
How to make Firefly Paper Lantern Craft
You will need
- Card stock in two tones of blue, bright and dark
- White card stock
- Markers for colouring
- Yellow highlighter
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- The Firefly Lantern template, available from our Printables store and our TPT store
How to
Print the template to card stock as per the instructions on the page before each set.
Cut the lantern shapes out.
Colour the fireflies. The head and top wings can be any colour, but stick to yellow for the lower abdomen and lower wings. Colour the firefly lights in yellow highlighter.
Cut the fireflies and circles out. It’s difficult to tell in the image below, but the highlighter circles are are fluorescent and look different to the yellow on the bug wings and abdomen.
Fold along the horizontal fold lines of the lantern. Cut each vertical line.
Bend and fold into a lantern shape.
Glue the handle and lower rim in a different colour blue on.
Glue the highlighter circles onto the lantern, spacing them out between the top and the bottom half.
Fold the fireflies’ wings. Glue a firefly onto each circle, attaching it so the abdomen is on the light.
All done!
Also in this series:
More Printable Summer Paper Crafts for kids
