Do you have a family camping trip planned for this Summer or Fall? Do your kids love to stay up late in the tent? Don’t want to bother with flashlight batteries that die? Then this DIY Solar Powered Mason Jar Lantern is for you! This project is so easy and cheap and will keep your campsite (or any area) illuminated with style.
All you need to make this solar powered lantern is a mason jar and a solar powered light from the dollar store. Frosted spray paint is optional. You’ll also need some scissors, a drill and hot glue.
Carefully take apart the solar powered light, making sure to keep the whole solar powered contraption in place.
Cut the plastic part away so you are left with only the solar powered panel.
Cut a square hole in the lid of the mason jar to fit the solar powered panel. Use a drill to start some holes so you can get the scissors through the metal. Secure the panel with hot glue.
You can put the glue on the outside or the underside. If you put it on the underside, it looks less messy than the pic above.
Hot glue the underside portion to the base so it doesn’t hang down into your mason jar. In the pic below, the solar panel is on the bottom. I hot glued each end of the battery and stuck it to the solar panel.
Screw the lid back onto the mason jar to complete your lantern. You can either leave the lantern as is it you can frost the outside of the mason jar. Frosting the outside diffuses the light a bit. I think it looks better frosted but that’s just my opinion.
This lantern lasts all night if you let it charge up during the day. Just put it on your picnic table and the kids will have a fun nightlight to take in the tent at bedtime.
I have to admit that we left ours in the car most of the day during our camping trip and the charge did not last very long. Oops! But we keep it on our back porch at home and it lasts well into the night. These solar powered lanterns aren’t just for camping. Think outdoor dusk wedding reception, unique lighting on your porch or deck or anywhere you need lighting but don’t want to deal with electrical cords.
Have you taken a family camping trip this summer? What is your go-to item?
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Tammy Killoough says
How smart! These are precious! Thanks for sharing! ~Tammy
Letitia Loughridge says
May have to try this
Letitia Loughridge says
May have to try this
Kirsten Thompson says
Great idea! Combines two of my favorite things – Dollar store finds and mason jars 🙂
Cindy Rowe says
Very clever!! I think I could convince my other half to help me with this project. Pinning! And, your newest follower!
Cindy @ Crazylou
Rebecca D. Dillon says
Great project. I’ll stick to buying mine though. I have several I’ve purchased lining my garden. One of our local market vendors sells these for $6 each or 2 for $10!
Lesley says
Hi, I found your through Pinterest. Do you think this would work with recycled plastic containers? I’m not sure about using glass jars around the campsite.
Kelly says
As long as you have a lid that is sturdy enough to hold the solar powered light, it should work with a plastic container