I love this time of year with all the colourful Autumn leaves, crisp chilly mornings & the natural treasures waiting to be discovered, but as the nights get darker & cooler we love getting all cosy & snuggly indoors. We recently made these Paper Cup Lanterns which are super simple for kids to make, & perfect for brightening up any dark Autumnal evening with their warm glow.
Once illuminated these lanterns also create beautiful patterns around nearby walls & objects as the light shines through the many holes. To create them we used recycled paper cups (standard size & small) & a single hole punch.
Using the hole punch we simply cut holes throughout the cup, you can be as random as you like with this or create a detailed design. It's a great way to encourage some hand-eye coordination & fine motor skills too.
When we were happy with our hole-punched design we used pens to add some colour. We thought our lantern looked pretty good even before it was illuminated, brightening up a windowsill with its colourful pattern.
To illuminate our lantern we placed a battery-operated tealight inside the cup & watched as our design began to glow & light up the surrounding area.
Even the plain cups without drawings looked pretty as the light shone through our hole-punched design.
Such a neat way to upcycle an old paper cup & create a warm welcoming light in any room.
Looking for more crafts created using recycled materials?
Looking for more crafts created using recycled materials?
Check out our Recycling Ideas at the top of our page.