Make Your Own Rotating Lantern This Diwali

Materials Required:

• Template - Download

• Scissors

• Cardboard

• Glue

• Paper Plate

• Scale

• Straw

• Clay / Eraser

• Bamboo Skewer /Broomstick

• Candles / Diya

• Match box with match sticks

Let’s Begin!

Part 1 - Lantern Base

• Print the template from the attached PDF.

• Gather all the necessary materials and set up a workspace on a table.

• Begin by creating a stand for the carousel.

• Cut out the mandala art from the printed sheet carefully.

  Caution: Safety first! Always use scissors under an adult’s supervision.

• Affix the cut-out mandala sheet onto cardboard using glue.

Part 2 - Carousel Base

• Take a paper plate and trim off its curved edges to obtain a flat circle.

• From the template, cut out the carousel shape carefully and stick it to the paper plate with glue.

• Carefully cut along the dotted lines of the carousel, ensuring to leave the center untouched.

• Fold the carousel along the solid lines, maintaining approximately 45-degree folds.

  Tip: You can use a scale to help you while folding

• Cut a 1-inch straw. On one end, press and make a small cut from the middle. Then, press the other side and mark another small cut from the middle.

• Now attach it to the folded end of the carousel, ensuring it is centered and vertically straight. It should look like the image below.

Part 3 - Diwali Rotating Lantern

• Take clay and create a mold, inserting a bamboo skewer (approximately 20 cm in length) in the center.

  Tip : An eraser can be used for the clay, and a broomstick for the skewer.

• Place the clay mold precisely on the cardboard mandala, aligning with the labnbox logo.

• Position candles in four different directions around the carousel.

  Tip: If there's no candle, a diya (lamp) will work too!

• Light the candles and observe the carousel rotate.

  Caution: Safety first! Fire should be handled with care and always seek your parents’ guidance.

• Your Diwali carousel is now ready. Your DIY creation to remove darkness and brighten your surroundings is READY. (IMAGE)

What’s the Science Behind This?

When the candle is lit, the hot air from the candle raises and pushes the blades of the carousel. Since the blades are tilted, it moves sideways resulting in rotation of the carousel.

Challenge Yourself

Challenge 1:

What if we add more candles? Does the carousel rotate faster?

Challenge 2:

What if we increase or decrease the length of the skewer? Is there any change in the speed of the lantern?

Caution: Try all the different possibilities and available combinations to get the best of the results. Also, always seek an adult’s help when using fire and sharp objects.