DIY Camping Lantern Craft For Kindergarten

How to Make a Pretend Lantern

Do your kids like to go camping? Or maybe they just like to pretend they’re going camping!  Here’s a lantern craft for kindergarten and preschoolers for a camping theme in your dramatic play center, or your living room.

Every camper needs a lantern to find his or her way around in the dark, don’t you agree? Just imagine what fun your kids will have using their very own lantern!

Lantern for Pretend Play
I found the original idea for the DIY lantern HERE but I tweaked it to make it easier.

Supplies to Make Camping Lantern For Kindergarten

Once I gathered my supplies, it took about four minutes to complete this project.
Supplies

  • Empty clear, plastic peanut butter jar or similar
  • Wax paper
  • One Chenille stem
  • Knife
  • Tape
  • Scissors
  • One electric votive light

Camping Theme Dramatic Play Lantern

How to Make the Camping Lantern Craft For Kindergarten

Here are the step-by-step directions for making your lantern.
Step 1: Cut one small hole on each side of the plastic jar using the knife.
Step 2: Insert the Chenille stem into each hole and bend the stem upwards on the ends to secure it in place.
Step 3: Cut a piece of wax paper to fit inside the plastic jar.
Step 4: Secure the wax paper with a piece of tape.
Step 5: Turn on the votive light and place inside the lantern and put the lid on the jar.

Dramatic Play Lantern for Camping Theme
When you want to turn off the light, just open the jar and take the votive out to switch it off.

How stinkin’ cute and easy is that? Your little campers will have tons of fun with these inexpensive lanterns!

Printable Dramatic Play Camping Kit

For more dramatic play camping ideas, pictures and printables click HERE.

More Camping Ideas

Forest Sensory Bin
Camping Art Activity
camping book activity preschool
Camping Theme Books for Preschoolers
How to Make Pretend Smores for Play
camping art preschoolers
Preschool Camping Theme Activities
Free printable s'mores trail mix picture recipe for preschool and kindergarten.

5 thoughts on “DIY Camping Lantern Craft For Kindergarten”

  1. Thanks for this cool, cool idea!…and for giving me another reason to upcycle, LOL. I don’t know how many things never make it to the recycle bin these days. My mantra: “I know I can use this for something cool”.

    1. Thanks Kim! I have more than 50 of these jars saved and couldn’t bring myself to put them in the recycling bin. I’m glad to finally find a use for them.

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