How to make a paper plate lantern.

As promised, I will be posting the simple steps of crafts we love doing with the kids. This may be a simple start for parents to start bonding moments with the kids.

I'll call this the 'BK Lantern' ~ BK: Bujeng/Kokoi (the kids)

Materials:

• 6 pcs Silver paper plates - Plain ones will do, but the silver ones are more glittery when hanged.
• A few cm. of yarn - any color you prefer (this is for hanging the lantern)
• Japanese paper - the more colors, the better! (these only costs about 10php in bookstores)
• Stapler and a lot of staple wires
• Glue
• Stuff from the art leftovers kit for decorations - good examples are cotton balls (to make Mr. Frosty),art paper (to make Xmas ball patterns or Xmas trees), old Xmas cards, etc.

Steps:

1. Staple the first 4 paper plates together to form 4 walls. Be sure that the silver side of the plates are facing outwards. Make sure to make sturdy walls since this will be the main frame of the lantern. (Mommy and Daddy will take care of the stapling for you kiddos!)
2. Staple 1 paper plate at the bottom of the 4 walls, to make sure that the frame won't go out of place as the Christmas breeze blows from outside the window.
3. Punch a tiny hole in the middle of the last paper plate. Make a loop out of about a 6cm yarn. Shoot both ends of the yarn in the tiny hole and make a big bow, facing the non silver side. Make sure the bow is tight as this will be the 'hook' of your lantern.
4. Staple the last paper plate on top of the 4 walls. Make sure the yarn is sticking outside. Now the main frame of the lantern is fixed.
5. It's time for the kids to explore their imagination and artistic minds. Let the kids decorate the 4 silver walls of the lantern. 
6. While the kids decorate, cut several strips from multiple colored Japanese papers. Cut simple patterns on the strips as this will be the 'tail' of the lantern. After the final decorative touches, glue the strips at the bottom of the frame. Let it dry to make sure it won't fall off.
7. The lantern is ready! Make several lanterns to display around and outside the house.

Check out our Kuya Kokoi's lantern as a guide in making your own. Happy crafting kiddos and parents! I'll try to post more simple crafts for the kids soon.

Happy holidays!