Decorate Your Room With Lights!
Make battery-powered fairy-light garlands and mason-jar lanterns using LED lights, jars, paper, and tape to safely decorate and personalize your room.
About this activity
Make battery-powered fairy-light garlands and mason-jar lanterns using LED lights, jars, paper, and tape to safely decorate and personalize your room.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Gather all your materials and put them on a clean table so everything is ready.
- 2
Step 2
Wash each jar with soap and water to remove any dust or sticky bits.
- 3
Step 3
Dry each jar completely with a towel so the paper will stick well.
- 4
Step 4
Place a jar on a sheet of paper and trace a rectangle the height of the jar so the paper will fit inside.
- 5
Step 5
Cut out the paper rectangle carefully with scissors.
- 6
Step 6
Decorate your paper using markers stickers or washi tape to make fun patterns or scenes.
- 7
Step 7
Slide the decorated paper into a jar and press it flat against the glass.
- 8
Step 8
Pick a string of LED lights and feed the light strand into the jar while keeping the battery pack outside the jar.
- 9
Step 9
Ask an adult to make a small hole in the jar lid and have them guide the cord through the hole if you want to use the lid.
- 10
Step 10
Close the lid around the cord so the jar looks neat and the battery pack stays safely outside.
- 11
Step 11
Measure and cut a length of twine for your garland and tie a secure loop at each jar neck to make hangers.
- 12
Step 12
Attach each jar hanger to the twine to make a string of lanterns and arrange the battery packs evenly along the garland.
- 13
Step 13
Turn on the lights hang your garland in your room and share your finished creation on DIY.org
Fun facts
How do I make battery-powered fairy-light garlands and mason-jar lanterns to decorate a child's room?
Start by cleaning jars and testing battery-operated LED fairy lights. Coil a short string of lights into each mason jar, leaving the battery pack accessible outside or taped to the lid. For garlands, thread LEDs through paper stars or cones and secure with tape. Decorate jars with tissue paper, paint, or stickers, then replace lids. Always test lights, keep battery packs outside sealed jars, and have an adult help with cutting, drilling lids, or hot glue.
What materials do I need to make LED jar lanterns and fairy-light garlands?
You’ll need battery-operated LED fairy lights, mason jars with lids, scissors, tape, decorative paper or tissue, ribbon or twine, stickers or paint, and a marker. Optional supplies: a hole punch or drill to route the battery pack, hot glue (adult use), small pebbles or sand to stabilize jars, batteries if not included, and safety scissors. Keep spare batteries handy and choose cool LEDs designed for crafts.
What ages is decorating a room with battery-powered lights suitable for?
This activity suits kids aged about 5 and up with adult supervision. Ages 5–7 can help decorate jars and assemble simple garlands while an adult handles cutting, drilling lids, and battery work. Ages 8–11 can do more of the assembly with guidance on safety and neatness. Teenagers can lead the project independently, including battery placement and creative variations. Avoid letting very young children handle small batteries or glass alone.
What safety tips and creative variations are there for decorating your room with fairy lights and mason-jar lanterns?
Safety: use only battery-powered LED lights, keep battery packs accessible, never use open-flame candles, and supervise hot-glue or drills. Check batteries for leaks and turn lights off when unattended or sleeping. Variations: paint or decoupage jars, add colored cellophane, use LED tea lights, make paper cone garlands, or place jars on shelves with sand or pebbles. These options boost creativity while keeping the display cool and kid-friendly.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use if we can't find glass jars or an LED light string?
If you can't find glass jars or a battery LED string, use clean clear plastic food containers or cut-down plastic bottles and battery-operated tealight candles or a small string of Christmas lights with the battery pack kept outside the container just like the instructions say.
Why does my decorated paper curl or fall away from the jar, and how can I fix it?
If the paper curls or won't stay flat against the glass, make sure the jar is completely dry (step 3), trim the rectangle slightly narrower (step 4), and press or tape the top edge inside the jar rim when you slide it in (step 6).
How can I adapt this project for younger children or older kids?
For younger kids have an adult wash and dry jars and pre-cut the paper rectangles (steps 2–4) and let them stick stickers (step 5), while older kids can design complex scenes, measure and cut twine themselves and arrange multiple battery packs for a longer garland (steps 4, 5, 11).
How can we make the lantern garland more creative or durable?
To personalize and strengthen the jars, layer translucent tissue paper or colored cellophane over your decorated paper before sliding it in (step 6), use multi-color LED strings (step 7), and add small name tags or charms to each twine loop (step 11).