Mid-Autumn Lantern Recycled Craft + Free Printable

Mid-Autumn Festival is around the corner. A fun and easy way to celebrate this Chinese holiday is to make a paper lantern.

Celebrating Chinese holidays like Mid-Autumn Festival is a great way to help kids cultivate a love of learning Chinese.

Mid-Autumn Lantern recycled craft free printable

This is also a great way to help children who have Chinese heritage find a sense of self and bond with their background.

I have such fond memories of celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival with my cousins at my grandparents’ house when we lived in Taiwan. I wanted to help you have that experience too with your kids!

We bought this kid’s qipao in Taiwan but you can find similar ones on Amazon. We usually buy one per year so she can wear it for all the Chinese holidays that year.

Mid-Autumn Festival Lantern How To

Materials:

empty Kleenex box (smaller size)
LED candles
brown paint or color of your choice. You can also not paint
string
one dowel rod (can substitute with chopstick, pencil, stick)
tape
glue gun & stick
hole puncher
my free printable (see below for download info)

How To

Cut rectangles that are 3 inches wide and 4″ long on each sides of the Kleenex box. (This is my favorite craft knife that makes crafts like these easy to do)
Punch two holes on the top of the box
Paint the box brown or whichever color you prefer. I chose brown to make it look like the older lanterns made out of wood. Let it dry
Put one of the string into the hole on the top and create a knot to keep it from falling out. Repeat on the other side.
Tape the printables with characters 中秋快樂/Zhōngqiū kuàilè/Happy Mid-Autumn Festival on the inside of the box. I’ve added an additional option with a bunny this year!
Hot glue the string to a wooden dowel to help stabilize it
Place LED candle inside the lantern and enjoy!

Accessing Printable

To access the free printable register below. After confirming your email, you’ll receive a password to access the printables.

If you’ve already registered, click here to get to my printables page.

Hope your family enjoys this craft and celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival together! Be sure to tag me @spotofsunshineChinese to let me see your creation!

Loved seeing other families’ renditions of this last year! See pictures below for different ways you can create a beautiful lantern out of a kleenex box.

Karen of @kyl.scrapbook on IG created this nature inspired lantern last year with her daughter. Isn’t it so beautiful? Be sure to follow her for more inspiring crafts and Chinese learning ideas.

@littlecitytales also made this beautiful sun catcher lantern with a kleenex box and cut Chinese characters into the box to make a festive lantern for Chinese New Year. Be sure to follow them for beautiful and inspiring crafts!