Mason Jar Bunny Lanterns
As you most of you my lovely readers will know, I “specialise” on Easy Crafts for Kids here on Red Ted Art. Over the years, I have had lovely emails from readers telling me about the elderly that they care for, who also enjoy doing many of these easier crafts. I especially love, when they share some their ACTUAL crafts inspired by Red Ted Art Crafts – in today’s example by our Jack O’Lantern Jars. ANd so.. I have some lovely Mason Jar Bunny Lanterns or decorations or gift jars to share with you today that my reader Katy F. sent in!
Mason Jar Rabbit Lanterns
If these bunny jars look familiar to you.. it is possible that you saw our Reindeer Jars late last year. Kathy also sent these in to share with you!
The key thing about how Kathy crafts with her seniors, is that they all work at their own ability levels. Yes, I share a “how to” or a “certain” way of making something.. but each of Kathy’s seniors in her care, makes their own version of the craft. A version that suits them and their abilities.
I love that the focus of their craft session is to spend time together and to have FUN (I also not the yummy cake in the background.. and feel I now need to eat cake for all my craft sessions too). This is the best way to craft. There is no right way, only a fun way! Whether you are 4yrs old, or as in the case here today over 80 years old! You do you. And make your own unique bunny jar lantern!
That said, the craft is loosely based around our Halloween Jar Lanterns, so we do have some overlap in basic supplies and crafting process. Which I will try and summarize for you today!
Supplies needed for your Spring Bunny Jars:
- Clean mason jars, ideally with most of the label removed, but you can always hide it under your decor
- Tissue paper in lovely spring colours – white, yellow and pink where used here
- Pipe cleaners to help secure your creations, as well as decorate and add details
- Paper or cardstock for additional features such as bunny ears
- Marker pens for facial details
- Googly eyes or similar
- Senior friendly scissors
- Glue sticks/ glue of choice!
How to make your mason jar bunny lanterns
Prepare and clean the mason jam jars
Start off by removing all labels from your jars. As you will be decorating them, it isn’t terrible if you have some glue marks left on them. However, they bother you, you can remove the glue from glass with this method.
My original Halloween Lanterns are made in a decoupage type of way. This really secures the tissue paper to the mason jars (hop over for the instructions OR watch the video on auto play). However, it will also make your tissue a paper a little more transparent (which can be problematic with white paper) and.. as Kathy points out, this isn’t necessairly a technique that works for elderly ladies with shaky hands from dementia or just simply age.
So… In Kathy’s wise words:
Each person does it differently depending on their abilities with glue and brushes and their hands and shaking! Some only wrap [and tuck] and glue others do more decoupage like.
As I always say: there is no wrong way in art and creativity .
You can use the ribbons and pipecleaners to help secure the tissue paper a little, as well as add decorative details.
As you can see, each of the bunnies has its own unique personality and is oh so cute! Don’t you think?
How to “use” your Bunny Mason Jars:
These are super cute and fun to make, but also have several “uses”:
- Use them as simple decorative pieces on the Easter table
- Fill with treats and small gifts and use them as a gift jar (lovely if you are expecting grandchildren to visit the care home)
- Add a electric tea light and use them as Spring Lanterns
- The ones that have been secured by glue (and not wrapped and tucked) could also be used as little bunny flower vases – that would be adorable at Easter, don’t you think?!
What age group as these Bunny Jar Lanterns for?
Any age of course!!! These jars where made by ladies in their 80s! They are particularly suited to the elderly with mind dementia or for individuals with shaky hands.
But I do feel toddlers and preschoolers will especially benefit from making this cute craft:
- Easy and cute (!)
- Great for fine motor skills – not only when adding your features to your mason jar, but also when either cutting your tissue paper (scissor handling skills) or tearing the tissue paper (finger strengthing skills)
- Seasonal activities are always a wonderful way to include young children in holidays and traditions
More lovely Preschool Easter Crafts – suitable for different abilities here:
