Lag BaOmer Craft "Bonfire in a jar" Lantern!

This Lag Baomer craft, featuring a bonfire-themed jar lantern, is fabulous for kids of all ages! If you want a simpler coloring craft, check out this Lag Baomer bonfire hat! This post contains affiliate links.

Lag Baomer comes during the busy end-of-the-school year season when you’re trying to get the last lessons of the year in, recap the Sefirah lessons that were swallowed during Pesach prep – and include this important season.

I figured a very quick craft is in order – and this one can be done in a single session, by a large age range.

The idea is to create an indoor “bonfire in a jar” using the classic tissue paper squares decoupaged on a jar! You probably don’t even need a tutorial for this, but in case you do, I’ve got you covered.

An LED tea light (get the kind that flickers – it’s so much cooler) makes it look like an actual bonfire.

Tips and variations for this Lag Baomer Bonfire craft

I used a recycled Kosher for Passover pasta sauce jar. You can also purchase smooth jars, if you’re struggling with getting enough recyclables for it. You can shrink it down by making it in a baby food sized jar. (I actually did this years ago for a holiday that isn’t ours using Sharpies instead – see that idea here. You can adapt it to this craft too).

I added the tissue paper squares to the front of the jar only to make it a 2-dimensional fire. You can also outline a bonfire shape with a black Sharpie over the final project if you want (I decided to keep it more abstract). Or, go around the whole jar.

This is a really fun Lag Baomer craft that’s preschool-friendly, but functional enough to be enjoyed by grade-school age kids. Because of the fun little at-home bonfire you end up with, they’ll all really enjoy it.

For younger kids, you may want to stick with plastic jars, so that they can drop it freely.

What you’ll need

A jar (I’m linking to plastic ones for younger kids, but you may want to use recycled jars)
Tissue paper squares in shades of yellow, orange, red. I used mostly 2-inch squares, you may want to opt for smaller 1-inch ones for more detail on the final project.
Mod Podge (glossy is nicest on a glossy jar)
A paintbrush
An LED tea light

How to make a Lag Baomer Bonfire Lantern

1. Ideally work in sections. Paint a layer of Mod podge.

2. Add your tissue paper squares.

3. Overlap them a bit and gradated shades of orange, yellow, and red. It’s okay if the overlapped parts aren’t each glued.

4. Paint a layer of Mod Podge over your tissue paper. You don’t even need to wait for the first layer to dry to do this. As you paint, you’re smoothing out the tissue paper.

Younger kids may end up with smushed edges, but that’s okay – it’ll be great! And you may want to encourage older kids to use a somewhat generous amount of Mod Podge – but not so much that it’s drippy or pools, work in one direction, and not overwork it.