Levitating Lantern
What you get
Harness the power of physics to engineer a mind-boggling magic trick — a levitating lantern that floats in thin air! Wire up the lantern, build the stand, and learn all about how tension and tensegrity make your “impossible” illusion possible! Read up on the science and mechanics behind other illusions, from flying candles to hovering magicians! Ready to discover science that’s totally, float-ally amazing?
Extend the fun!
Dive deeper into the world of Dynamic Design with with FREE video and printable activities from Camp KiwiCo. Learn more here.
Engineering
Challenges
Quality
Materials
Step-By-Step
Instructions
From the desk of the product designer:
Behind the design
“What's cooler than building and customizing your own lantern? Making it float! I decided to use transparent rings to mimic how magicians create floating illusions — the harder the rings are to see, the more magical the illusion looks! ”
By the numbers
Lantern prototypes built: 15
Shades styles tested: 10
O-rings accidentally fired across the workshop: many
Recently viewed 
Added
Sigalas
Apr 10 2023
This project was so fun! Not too easy, not too hard, and now it has a place on our mantle. Lovely.
Niko
Feb 12 2023
10 year loved building it.
Lisa
Feb 9 2023
The "levitation" element really blew our minds. My nine year old and I giggled as we built this and watched the magic come alive.
Added