Wax Paper and Popsicle Sticks Lantern: How-To

This year for the Lantern Parade, we are moving away from our regular 3-Liter plastic bottle lanterns because we can no longer find them!!!

We got a little creative and decided to use the opportunity to move away from plastic…

Learn how to make your own lanterns from popsicle sticks and wax paper below….

What you’ll need

Included in your kit from Boing! Toy Shop:

  • 1 string of fairly lights

  • 12 x 24 inches of wax paper

  • 20 popsicle sticks

  • 24 inches of yarn

Bring your own:

  • Scissors

  • Tape

  • Glue

  • Tools to jazz it up! Markers, oil pastels, colorful tissue paper, glitter, dried flowers…

Step 1

Arrange your popsicle sticks

  • You’ll want to make 5 squares with 4 popsicle sticks in each square

  • Line them up to make an X-shape, like in the picture

  • Try to keep each stick that is touching another square at the same level. This will make the next step easier.

Step 2

Tape your base together

  • Tape the outside squares to your inside square by wrapping each pair of adjoining sticks with tape

  • Keep this as tight as possible!

Step 3

Tape your walls together

  • Stand the outside squares up so that they form a wall

  • Use tape to keep each of the 4 walls together

Step 4

Bring out the wax paper

  • You should have a sheet of wax paper that is about 24 inches long and 12 inches wide

Step 5

Fold and decorate the wax paper

  • Fold your wax paper the long way and decorate it as you see fit! We used oil pastels, but here are some other ideas:

    • Gluing colorful tissue paper

    • Pressing crayons in between the wax paper and pressing with iron

    • Placing pressed flowers in between the wax paper

Step 6

Wrap your cube with your art

  • Line up your cube at one end of your wax paper sheet.

  • Tape the end of the sheet to the inside of one corner of your cube

  • Roll over the cube until it is fully wrapped, using tape to secure the paper at each corner

Step 7

Stand up your cube and tape the end

  • Use tape to fasten the end of your wax paper sheet to the cube

  • If the sheet is taller than the cube, you can trim it. We chose to keep it long here.

Step 8

Use yarn to make a handle

  • Take the yarn and tie it to the top of your cube, making a handle

  • You can also want to create a little bridge on the inside, to wrap your fairy lights around. This isn’t necessary if you decide to use another bit of wax paper to make a bottom to your lantern

Step 10

Drop in your lights

  • Twist your fairy lights around the little bridge you made for support

  • If you put a bottom on your lantern, you can just wrap it around

You’re done!

Now bring your art work to the Jamaica Pond Lantern Parade! October 22 and 23rd!