Mosaic cup lanterns ages PreK and up
Supplies:
one large clear plastic cup for each student
sharpie or permanent markers
Elmer’s or white glue, thinned with water, in shallow containers
wet wipes or damp cloths
paint brushes or foam brushes
tissue paper cut into strips and squares
glow sticks or battery tea lights
OPTIONAL SUPPLIES:
small dried fall leaves and flowers
mason jars
Go Texan Day is a Friday in March when everyone puts on their western wear and looks forward to the arrival of the trail riders. Traffic comes to a halt and kids empty out of school dressed in their boots and hats to wave to groups of people on horseback and in covered wagons. These trail riders have been traveling for days from all over Texas to reach Houston and kick off the biggest rodeo in the world.
In preparation for rodeo season, our school has a chili cook-off where classrooms compete for the coveted, “Best Chili Trophy”.
I have several art projects for students to make for decorating the cook-off and then take home at the end of the evening. Most of the crafts like this one light up to create a colorful glow for our party.
Cup lanterns are easy to make and have the look of stained glass. Start with clear plastic cups, one for each child. Use a hole punch to make two holes opposite each other, near the rim of the cup for the handle. Place the cups upside down on tables, one per student. Write the kids’ names on the bottom of each cup with sharpie to save time. Set out pipe cleaners in any colors you have. The metallic pipe cleaners, also called glitter tinsel chenille stems, will sparkle from the tea light candle. Thin down some Elmer’s or white glue to make the glue easier to brush onto the cup. Pour the glue into shallow trays or dishes to prevent spilling and set small paint brushes or foam brushes in the glue trays. Set out containers of colored tissue paper strips or squares. When the kids’ fingers get gluey it helps to have a damp cloth to wipe them on before reaching for more tissue paper.
Once the kiddos come into class and are seated, turn off the lights in the classroom and show them a finished lantern with the tea light inside turned on for the kids to ooh and aah over. Turn the room lights back on and begin giving instructions. If you have the time or unclaimed lanterns from last year, place a finished one on each table for the kids to look at.
If you haven’t written the students’ names on the bottom of the cups beforehand, have the kids do that now with a sharpie. Ask students to choose a pipe cleaner for their lantern handle. Show them how to poke one end of the pipe cleaner about a half inch through one of the holes in the cup and give it a bend on the other side of the hole to fasten it to the cup. It doesn’t matter if you start from the inside or the outside of the cup. Poke the other end of the pipe cleaner through the second hole and bend it like the first one. Now you have a handle to hold your lantern.
Show the class how to dab their brush into the glue, but not so much that they drip it across the table. First paint a portion of the cup with glue covering half the cup at most. Place the brush back in the glue tray. Take some tissue paper and place it on the cup and tap it with a finger. The kids can make rows, patterns or place them willy-nilly. Tell them to be sure the entire square is sticking to the cup. If some paper edges are sticking out or over the rim, add a touch of glue and tap them down. Notice when two colors of tissue overlap they create a new color. They do not have to cover the entire cup but the more color they have, the prettier it looks when it’s lit up. When they are done have them give the cup a final coat of glue, lightly covering everything. If the tissue is pretty saturated they can skip the final coat. Carry the lantern by the handle and place it on newspaper or scrap paper to dry. If the lanterns drip while drying and stick to the newspaper simply trim it away with scissors.
The night of the chili cook-off I get some kids to help me turn on the tea lights and place them in the lanterns. Glow sticks or bracelets are cheaper and will give off a pretty light in the cup lantern, too. If there is a breeze I pour a little sand or a few stones into the cup so they won’t blow off the tables. Even a little tape on the bottom of the cup will work to keep them from tipping over.
Another version of this project uses pressed leaves and flowers. They are delicate to handle and glue to the cups so this craft is for older kids.
I just can’t pass by a brightly colored, fall leaf. They are so beautiful. I collect them on walks and press them between wax paper in big, heavy books. There are certain flowers that press well like pansies, daisies, cosmos, verbena and poppies. A final, protective coat of glue over the leaves is important and gives a nice sheen. If you have the budget, this project looks beautiful when using glass jars. The hard part is remembering which books I used to press all my leaves and flowers. Just like the mosaic cup lanterns, be sure to carefully paint a final top coat of glue over everything.