Invitation to Paint 3-D Lunar New Year Lanterns

During Lunar New Year, lanterns provide illumination, are believed to bring good luck, and symbolize wishes for a bright future. Celebrated across many Asian countries, this special time is filled with traditions, joyful gatherings, festive customs, and delicious feasts, welcoming the arrival of spring and a fresh new year.

To begin our exploration, we read Amy Wu and the Lantern Festival and Playing with Lanterns. After learning about the meaning of lanterns and observing real images of lanterns from around the world, we invited the children to create their own lanterns using a gravity drip painting process for our upcoming annual Lunar New Year Parade.

White lanterns became the children’s canvases, along with @colorations.artoflearning Liquid Watercolors and tempera paint from @discountschoolsupply, pipettes, and paintbrushes.

Painting on a three-dimensional surface offered a rich and meaningful challenge. As the children carefully moved and turned their lanterns, they explored gravity by watching the colors drip and flow downward, while strengthening their fine-motor skills using droppers and brushes. This experience encouraged problem-solving, creativity, and thoughtful experimentation.

Each time we offer open-ended art experiences, we are reminded how engaging and powerful process art truly is. Art allows children to become fully immersed in the joy of creating—exploring, discovering, and expressing themselves in their own unique way.