Paper Bag Halloween Lanterns: A Glowing DIY Halloween Craft for Kids

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Halloween is the perfect time for a little spooky creativity, and Paper Bag Halloween Lanterns are a fun, budget-friendly craft that kids of all ages will love. These simple, glowing decorations are easy enough for preschoolers, safe enough for toddlers, and creative enough to keep even big kids entertained.

With just paper bags, paint, and battery-powered tealights, kids can create adorable jack-o’-lanterns and friendly ghost lanterns to light up windows, porches, or Halloween parties. It’s the kind of hands-on fun that is festive, isn’t frightening, and is perfect for little hands. Parents in search of easy Halloween crafts for kids will want to be sure this one is on their list.

Easy Halloween Craft for Preschoolers Using Paper Bags

This Halloween activity is both cute and approachable. Painting and decorating paper bags is a fantastic fine motor skill builder and gives kids the freedom to express themselves. The best part? No sharp tools or messy pumpkin guts required.

This easy Halloween craft for preschoolers transforms everyday lunch bags into glowing lanterns with personality. It’s a great alternative to pumpkin carving and makes a sweet homemade decoration for Halloween night.

Supplies for Making Paper Bag Halloween Lanterns

To make these DIY Halloween lanterns, you only need a few basic craft supplies:

White or brown paper lunch bags
Orange and white paint
Paintbrushes or foam brushes
Black permanent marker or black paint for faces
Battery-powered tealights
Optional: googly eyes, stickers, or yarn for added flair

All of these items can be found at the dollar store or in your craft stash.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Halloween Lantern Craft

This Halloween lantern craft is super easy to set up and makes a great classroom, playdate, or at-home activity. Here’s how to do it:

1. Paint the Paper Bags

Paint one paper bag orange (for a pumpkin lantern) and another bag white (for a ghost lantern). Make sure to cover all sides for a finished look.

Let the bags dry completely before moving on.

2. Add Spooky Faces

Once the paint is dry, draw a jack-o’-lantern face on the orange bag using a black marker or paint. Triangle eyes and a toothy grin are classic, but encourage kids to design their own faces.

For the white bag, draw a ghost face. Maybe round eyes and a surprised “O” mouth, or even silly expressions for a friendly ghost.

3. Insert a Tealight

Open the bag and place a battery-operated tealight inside. The glow will shine through the paper and light up the face.

Tip: For added structure, you can place a small plastic cup or mason jar inside the bag before adding the tealight.

DIY Halloween Lanterns as Kid-Made Decorations

Once your lanterns are finished, display them around the house or classroom to bring in some Halloween cheer. These DIY Halloween lanterns work beautifully as:

Porch or windowsill decorations
Table centerpieces for a Halloween party
Nighttime decor for trick-or-treaters
Class displays or bulletin board additions
Take-home crafts from school or daycare

And because they use battery-powered tealights, they’re safe to leave glowing indoors all night.

Halloween Activities for Toddlers That Are Mess-Free and Magical

If you’re looking for Halloween activities for toddlers that don’t involve too much mess or sharp tools, this jack-o-lantern craft is a winner. You can simplify it even further by pre-painting the bags and cutting out black construction paper face shapes ahead of time. Then let your toddler decorate the bag by choosing and gluing on the features.

They’ll love seeing their lantern glow in the dark, especially since they made it themselves.

More Halloween Paper Bag Ideas for Kids

Want to expand the craft table? Once you’ve made jack-o’-lantern and ghost lanterns, try turning paper bags into:

Frankenstein lanterns with green paint and bolts made from paper
Black cat lanterns with added construction paper ears and whiskers
Mummy lanterns wrapped in gauze or white crepe paper
Vampire or witch designs using purple and red paints

The possibilities for Halloween paper bag ideas are endless and allow kids to stretch their creativity even further.

Learning Benefits of Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers

Beyond the fun and festive end result, this craft is packed with developmental benefits. Creating Halloween crafts for preschoolers helps kids:

Strengthen fine motor skills with painting and drawing
Practice shape recognition with facial features
Learn how to follow directions and sequence steps
Build confidence in their creative choices
Engage in imaginative play and storytelling

A Must-Try Halloween Craft for Kids

Paper Bag Halloween Lanterns are the perfect mix of cute and creepy, easy and entertaining. They offer a safe, glowy alternative to real candles and a fun way for kids to decorate their homes, classrooms, or trick-or-treat stations.

This Halloween craft for kids uses simple materials, dries quickly, and leaves room for creative expression at any age. Whether you’re making one lantern or a whole spooky village, this craft will leave kids glowing with pride.

So grab those paper bags, fire up the tealights, and let your little artists light up Halloween in their own handmade way.

stacie

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