DIY Solar Pumpkin Lantern: A Fun and Easy Fall Craft
Looking for a fun and eco-friendly way to light up your porch this fall? A solar pumpkin lantern is simple, inexpensive, and makes use of solar lights to keep your pumpkins glowing all night without using any electricity.
Decorate your yard, porch, or a cute planter with this cozy project.
Plus, it is without the hassle of wiring or candles. Making these cute Halloween solar lights from plastic pumpkins is a great activity for the whole family to enjoy together!
Let’s get started!
Don’t forget to take a peek at some of my other fall DIYs and crafts.
Solar pumpkin lanterns are a great alternative to traditional candles and electric lights that promise to light up your Halloween without the worry of wax drippings or tangled cords.
I have seen this project all over my reels as well as in my neighborhood. When a sweet neighbor recently made one that was absolutely adorable, I got the nudge I needed to make my own.
This fun, little pumpkin lantern is SO cute. Plus, you only need a few supplies to get started. It is a must-do Halloween craft!
Supplies
- Plastic Pumpkins (WalMart typically has these in stock around Halloween)
- Solar Light (Mine was from Ace Hardware Store)
- Scissors or drill
Everything I have read suggested you should drill a hole in the pumpkin to fit the solar light. I have a drill, but I know many do not.
So I wanted to see just how easy it might be to make one without drilling a hole…turns out, pretty easy.
I would say, a drill would be fast but know a pair of old scissors or sharp knife will do the trick as well! But, I’ll get more into that later with the steps of the project.
Pumpkin Lanterns DIY
Make sure you have all of your supplies ready to go before you begin. This project will likely only take you 10 minutes once you are ready to go!
Pull Off Plastic Handle
The handle on my pail was very easy to pull off of one side. It just popped right out. The other side was a bit trickier, so I just cut it off with scissors.
Cut Hole in Bottom of Pumpkin
Turn your pumpkin upside down and determine the size of the solar light stake. I chose to “eyeball” it.
But, if you prefer more precision, you can trace around the stake to ensure you hole is just the right size.
You want to make sure your hole is large enough that the stake will fit through, but not so large, that it will allow the pumpkin to slide around.
I cut a little at a time until it was just the right size circumference for the round stake to slide in and be a snug fit.
Insert Solar Light
Slide the solar light post/base into the bottom of the pumpkin.
Then attach the upper light.
The particular solar light I used looked like a cute hat on my pumpkin’s head!
Display Your Solar Pumpkin Lantern
This little guy is so cute, you are going to want to put him everywhere…or make more!
I experimented with a few locations in my backyard and on my deck.
But, ultimately I wanted to find a fun spot that we could see from inside. Afterall, you want to enjoy these cute Halloween solar lights!
Check the Lights at Night
Be sure to take a good look at your solar pumpkins in the evening to ensure they are working properly.
Most solar lights need adequate daylight to shine well in the evening. So, a bright spot works best for good nighttime illumination.
I loved this little guy and enjoyed moving him around to see where he looked the best.
As I mentioned, I really liked the solar Jack-o-lantern in my deck pot as we can see it from one of our interior windows really well.
I have to say, the light looks really fun just about anywhere!
For now, he stays in the black, deck planter so we can enjoy him from our living room!
I did a quick comparison with the mini-pumpkin solar lights I got from the Dollar Store for $1.25. I have to say, this new project put those little guys to shame!
Best of luck with your Halloween solar lights! You will love them.
