Paper Lantern Craft for Lunar New Year

red, yellow, and patterned paper lanterns hung in front of a red background

Chinese New Year, also often referred to as Lunar New Year, is a 15-day festival that takes place each year for Chinese communities around the globe. This year’s celebration begins on January 22, 2023, starting the year of the Rabbit. To commemorate the occasion, we’ve made an easy and fun paper lantern craft to create with your kids. 

This craft is simple to make and didn’t require any new purchases to create. Instead we were able to make the paper lantern using items we already had on hand like construction paper, a glue stick, pencil, ruler, and scissors. If your kiddo is just learning to cut, this would be a great craft to practice their training scissors on. 

You can make the craft using red and yellow colored construction paper or by printing out our Year of the Rabbit free printable below. If you choose to use KIWI’s template, offer your kids washable markers to brighten it up.

Once you’ve created your paper lanterns, you can string them on some yarn and hang them on your mantel or place them over top of battery-operated tea lights. 

If you make these paper lanterns, be sure to tag us in your social posts with @kiwimagazine.

Looking for more fun ways to celebrate? Check out our story, “5 Ways to Celebrate the Lunar New Year.”

line art of two rabbits with floral and geometric designs
Year of the Rabbit Template

Click to download full size.

Materials

  • Yellow and red construction paper
  • Non-toxic glue stick
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Pencil

Directions

  1. With your pencil and ruler, measure a ¾ inch line on the shorter end of the construction paper. Cut off and put to the side for your handle.
  2. Next, fold the piece of paper in half, folding the longer length in half. 
  3. While folded, lightly mark ¾ inch on the unfolded edge. 
  4. Then, on the folded edge, lightly mark ¾ inch segments the width of the paper.
  5. Then, cut along these marks from the folded edge until you reach the perpendicular line on the unfolded edge. Note, you should leave this ¾ inch section uncut on both sides of the fold so that the segments remain attached. 
  6. Lay your cut lantern shape out and glue the top and bottom together to create a circle for your lantern.
  7. Then glue your handle on the top.
  8. Once you complete all of your lanterns, you may string them up or display them battery tea lights.