Welcome, I’m so glad you’re here!
Are you looking for an inexpensive way to light up your yard at night? Look no further! These easy DIY Solar Lanterns can be created with a quick trip to the dollar store. They’re simple to make and add a fun element to your landscape.
All it takes is a few simple supplies and a few minutes of your time. This is a project that kids love to help with too! (or is it just my kids that enjoy taking things apart? 😉)
For this project you’ll need some empty mason jars (or other small decorative jars), inexpensive solar lights, canning jar rings (optional, but they do give them a nicer finished look), and some hot glue.
Start with the mason (or other small decorative jar…I’ve used both and they work equally well). The key is to choose a jar with a small opening. If you use a wide-mouth canning jar, the solar light will fall through the opening to the bottom of the jar.
Now is the perfect time to stock up on inexpensive solar yard lights for any DIY solar projects you might have planned. They can be found at the dollar store. Purchase the plainest, simplest solar light you can find. For this example I’m using a solar table lamp that I purchased at my local Dollar Tree.
If you (or your kids!) like tearing things apart, then you’ll enjoy this next step! Take apart the solar light, what you want is the black, round unit at the top. You will see the solar cells on the top, and the lights at the bottom. This is all you need for the project, so go ahead and recycle the rest of the light, or save it for another project.
Depending on the size of your jar, your light may fit down in its mouth, or it may sit on top. Either way, I like to secure the solar light to the jar with hot glue.
For a finishing touch, add a canning ring to the top of the jar. Again, a little hot glue works nicely.
That’s it! Sit your lanterns on your porch or hang them on a shepherd’s hook in your yard and enjoy!
Click NEXT for the list of supplies and directions!
