If you’ve got kids going through the “monster-under-my-bed” or “afraid-of-the-dark” phases, this could be really a great way to help them sleep better and more peacefully. I may no longer be 5, but I’m certainly making a lot of these lovely fairy lanterns to decorate my home. They are just so beautiful and charming, and they are a great way to teach your kids about the beauty of upcycling. Instead of throwing out all those jam or mason jars stacking up in the pantry, you could use them to create these little glowing fairy lanterns that would transform the scary dark into a magical world.
The best thing about these lanterns – they are super-easy to make and since we’re nearing that dreaded summer where we can’t have as much as outdoor fun as we would want, it’s a great idea to stack up interesting DIY projects so your kids can still have a great time.
There are tons of different methods people use to make these lanterns. This article focuses on two of the easiest ones, which are still among the most beautiful. The first method uses glow-in-the-dark paint and the second one is made with glue and glitter, and I have to admit, the latter is the better choice. Anyways, depending on what is readily available to you, the two simple steps are explained below.
Read: The Quick and Easy DIY Way to Turn a Fan into an Air Conditioner
Painted Fairy Lanterns: Materials needed
- Upcycled glass jars with all labels torn off
- Glow-in-the-dark acrylic paint
- Small-sized paintbrush
- Fairy cardboard or paper cutouts
Steps:
- Using the paintbrush, paint as many dots and shapes as you want on the inside of the jars. You could make patterns or draw geometric shapes and constellations of stars. Get creative and explore your artistic skills. For the best results, you should use as many colors of paint as possible.
- Set the jars down and allow the paint to dry.
- Place the jars in a spot where they would absorb a lot of light so the glow effect would be activated.
- Place the fairy cutouts in the jar. If your kids are going to make these themselves, ensure that they use safety scissors.
- Turn off the lights and enjoy the thrilling magic!
- If you want, you could smear glitter on the lid of the jar to cover the bland-looking steel and make the lanterns look prettier. Some people use flower accessories to spice them up.
- You could also throw in some LED lights to make the jar glow brighter.
Read: How to Make Mason Jar Patio Lights This Summer
Using glitter and glue: Materials needed
- Upcycled glass jars without labels
- Two or three sticks of colored liquid glue
- Packets of glitter (you can use as many colors, shapes, and sizes as you want)
- Glow sticks or LED lights
- Fairy cardboard or paper cutouts
Steps
- Sprinkle the liquid glue all over the inside of the jar. It’s best to use two or three different colors to increase the charm.
- Pour your glitter packs into the jar and make sure they hit the walls. Close the jar tightly and shake vigorously.
- When the glue is completely dry, place your fairy cutouts in the jar. You could attach them to the lid of the jar using a twine so they hang in the air as though they are in flight.
- Smear the lid of the jar with extra glitter and glue to make it prettier. You could also use flower accessories.
- Turn off the lights and set the fairy lanterns under the glow sticks, or throw the LED lights into the jar to illuminate the enchanted lantern.
Your kids would hopefully never be afraid of the dark again because once the lights go off, a magical world comes forth. I’d like to think that even when the fiery lanterns are not within their reach, they’d still be accustomed to charming thoughts and comfortable peace.
There are hundreds of creative YouTube videos where you could get more ideas for glow lanterns. Some people use clean water to fill up an empty bottle with a mound of glitter at the bottom, throw in a glow stick, and attach a magnet to the bottle cap. Whenever the bottle is flipped, the magic is activated. Others prefer to use soda bottles and acetate sheets, but whatever method you decide to go with, as long as something glows and shines in the dark at the end, you got it!
Video for the second method (using glue):
Keep Reading: You will never have to scrub a toilet AGAIN if you make these DIY toilet cleaning bombs