The Brightside: Kids Craft. Spring Flower Lantern
There's something quietly magical about watching light pass through a pressed flower. This spring, we teamed up with Charnel from Kooee Kids Nature Play (bush kindy educator, mum, and all-round expert in getting kids outside ) to bring you a craft that turns a nature walk into a glowing keepsake.
SPRING FLOWER LANTERN
Create a beautiful glowing lantern using pressed spring flowers, a recycled glass jar, and a little creativity. When illuminated at dusk, the flowers glow softly and may cast beautiful patterns and shadows around your home or outdoor space.
RESCOURCES
Recycled glass jar (clean and labels removed)
Fresh spring flowers and leaves
Large heavy book or flower press
Baking paper or paper towel
PVA glue, Mod Podge, or clear craft glue
Paintbrushes
Natural jute twine or garden twine
Thin, flexible craft wire (optional)
Scissors
Battery-operated tealight candle
Method
01. PRESS FLOWERS
Collect a variety of spring flowers and leaves during your nature adventures. Place them between sheets of baking paper or paper towel and press them inside a heavy book for several days until they are flat and dry.
02.PREPARE THE JAR
Wash and dry your recycled glass jar thoroughly, ensuring all labels and sticky residue have been removed.
03. DECORATE THE LANTERN
Using a paintbrush, apply a thin layer of glue to a small section of the outside of the jar. Carefully place a pressed flower onto the glue and gently paint another thin layer of glue over the top. Continue adding flowers and leaves around the jar until you are happy with your design.
04.SEAL THE FLOWERS
Once all flowers have been attached, paint a final thin layer of glue over the entire outside of the jar. The glue will dry clear, helping preserve the flowers while flattening them neatly against the glass.
05. ADD THE HANDLE
Cut a length of twine and wrap it several times around the neck of the jar. Tie it securely, leaving a longer loop above the jar to create a handle. Tie a knot at the top of the loop to finish.
Wire Handle: Using a length of thin, flexible craft wire, wrap it securely around the top rim of the jar. Bring the wire up and over the top of the jar to form a handle, then secure the other end by wrapping it firmly around the opposite side of the rim. An adult should assist children with this step.
06.LIGHT UP YOUR LANTERN
Place a battery-operated tealight candle inside the jar. At dusk, switch on the light and watch your lantern glow. Notice how the light shines through the delicate flowers, creating beautiful colours, patterns, and shadows. The lantern may cast gentle floral shadows around your home, creating a warm and magical spring atmosphere. Safety Note: Battery-operated tealight candles are recommended when creating lanterns with children
Meet Charnel, the woman behind Kooee Kids 🌿 Charnel is a qualified primary teacher, mum of two, and the founder of Kooee Kids Nature Play: a bush kindy and nature playgroup based on Dharawal Country in Wollongong.
After close to a decade in the classroom, she started Kooee Kids to give children more time outside: exploring forests, playing in creeks, and learning through unstructured, child-led play. This month, Charnel's brought her nature-play magic to the Banabae blog with a craft we're a little obsessed with: the Spring Flower Lantern.
FOLLOW:
