24 Butterfly Crafts for Toddler Through Teen!
Read to craft some fun butterfly crafts? This list is full of fun, colorful ideas for every age and skill level! This post contains affiliate links.
There is something so majestic about butterflies; my little ones can’t get enough! Old and young alike are mesmerized by their delicate beauty, varied colors, symmetrical designs, and whimsical fluttering movements. It’s no wonder they have inspired so many artistic creations.
If you or your kids love butterflies or are looking for some crafting ideas for the spring season, here are a bunch of ideas to get you started.
These butterfly crafts are simple to put together but will still provide you with plenty of fun and enjoyment! You can even make some of these using just materials you already have on hand!
I’ve organized the ideas by the age level they were created for, but please take that only as a suggestion – many of the activities can be enjoyed at any age. As an adult, I still enjoy participating in crafts my children do.
If it’s “too easy,” that just means it’s extra relaxing! Plus, I can add my own spin to make it my own.
On the opposite end, some younger kids may enjoy some more sophisticated crafts if you’re willing to offer extra help and supervision. The main point is for you to be inspired by these ideas and to have fun trying something new!
Favorite Butterfly Crafts for Preschool
Preschool is an absolutely magical age for engaging with butterflies. The wonders of our world are still so new, and children are entranced by the exciting sight of these small, colorful, flying beauties!
While realistic butterflies are extremely intricate, the basic form of wings surrounding a body is easy for young kids to work with. You can introduce them to the idea of symmetry, or having two matching sides (of course, if the sides don’t match we’re all for creative freedom for tots anyway!)
Butterfly Paper Bag Puppet by Moms and Crafters
This craft is a gift that keeps on giving, since there are so many ways to play with puppets after you make them! Use simple paper lunch bags as a base with any combination of colored paper and embellishments to make your butterfly puppets uniquely suit your style!
Coffee Filter Butterfly Craft by Honey & Lime
Here’s your most basic, classic butterfly craft that even a toddler can do with great results! Little kids may need some help with the pipe cleaner body (and watch out for poky ends) but older preschoolers can do it all! They’ll want to make a bunch of them; consider hanging them from strings to use as a mobile together.
Watercolor Butterfly Craft by About A Mom
About A Mom shares a simple but beautiful painting activity with a butterfly shape. It’s a great way for kids to explore the medium of watercolor while creating something meaningful. Plus, they really play a meaningful part in the creation of these butterfly crafts.
Butterfly Collage Art Activity by Fun Learning for Kids
Collage is yet another great technique that even the youngest crafters can explore successfully. Using a variety of materials really gives little ones’ fine motor skills a great workout, but they won’t even notice because they’ll be having fun. Don’t just stop at these supplies – go crazy with whatever you have on hand!
Symmetry Butterfly Painting by Simply Full of Delight
This activity really illustrates the concept of symmetry by using paint to create a mirrored image print on each butterfly wing. It’s super easy but also super cool! And it works equally well for younger kids creating simpler designs or for those who want to try more complex patterns.
Clothes Peg Butterfly Craft by One Crazy Mom
I’ll try not to spoil it for you but the creation process on these is magical – kids love to see what happens when they add just a little mist of water and… the bright colors that emerge are perfect for celebrating the beauty of butterflies.
Handprint Butterfly Craft by Simple Everyday Mom
Handprint crafts are especially popular in the preschool years because come on, it’s so cute how tiny their hands are! And using handprints makes each craft unique and personal. Simple Everyday Mom uses handprint cutouts to form butterfly wings and the result is as cute as can be.
Chunky Rainbow Butterfly Craft The Inspiration Edit
The bright colors and chunky shapes of this butterfly craft really stand out! This craft requires a drop more preparation on your part, but it pays off in a fun activity that will be enjoyed by the full range of preschool ages with great results. A wooden base makes these sturdier than most of our other preschool crafts, so you can consider adding a strong magnet to the back and using it to hold things to your fridge.
Cardboard Tube Butterfly Craft by Mama Teaches
Sweet and simple is perfect for preschoolers! A cardboard tube gives this butterfly some extra dimension and of course more surfaces to decorate. Plus, kids get excited at the idea of repurposing something from around the house.
Pretty Butterfly Crafts for Kids
As kids get older, their improved skills in both fine motor coordination and in following directions open them up to a wider range of crafting techniques and opportunities. Here are some more sophisticated butterfly crafts for your grade-school age kids to try.
Wooden Clothespin Butterfly by Moms and Crafters
This craft has the feel of a cool woodworking project, but all you need is a dollar-store pack of clothespins! This post suggests alternative types of glue and paint so you can choose what works best for your skill level and setup. Kids will enjoy using different materials to create a sturdy and beautiful design!
Butterfly Painting by Little Bins for Little Hands
This bold art project is inspired by the distinctive style of Yayoi Kusama. Budding artists learn that we can all be inspired by each other, and that creating fine art is not intimidating or out of reach.
Origami Butterfly by Moms and Crafters
This elegant paper-folding craft is perfect for both beginner and experienced origami artists. It’s worth the effort to learn how to do it even if it takes a couple of tries – after all, the only thing you’re using is paper, so why not keep at it.
Puffy Tissue Paper Butterfly by Crafts by Amanda
This project will keep kids busy for quite a while, and it’s really easy to do. Younger kids can scrunch up tissue paper while older kids can follow the more precise instructions to make the tissue paper stand up for an extra-puffy effect. It’s pretty, it’s different, and it pops off the page!
Recycled Newspaper Butterfly Craft by In the Bag Kids Crafts
The newspaper element gives this butterfly craft a unique mixed-media look which adds an extra dimension above your basic butterfly painting activity.
Butterfly Craft Using Burlap by Preschool Tool Kit
The use of burlap fabric for the wings of these butterflies gives them both a sophisticated rustic look as well as extra durability, allowing you to use them for repeated play and not just decor (though of course they make for lovely decor as well)
Melted Crayon Butterfly by Barley and Birch
Again, the use of different materials makes this craft stand out way brighter than your average paper butterfly. This is an amazing way to get new life out of the ends of crayons that kids are no longer interested in coloring with – you also have a chance to recycle scrap fabric, too. Younger children will need help or supervision when melting the crayons but they will enjoy being part of the process.
Chromatography Butterfly Craft by Buggy and Buddy
Buggy and Buddy add a clever scientific twist to the coffee filter butterfly idea. Expand your child’s vocabulary and science knowledge through this activity that also results in a pretty decorative craft.
Brilliant Butterfly Crafts for Teens & Adults
While teens and adults can still enjoy many of the activities we’ve already shared, they have enough skills and patience by now to attempt more complex projects as well. These crafts use a wider range of materials and techniques with some really impressive results.
DIY Glass Cloche Craft by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
“Cloche” is exactly the kind of sophisticated word you want to use for your teen craft, but it’s basically an upside-down jar. This craft is a lovely way to upcycle a jar you have lying around or recently emptied.
It looks like you have a little collection of pet butterflies and makes a great accent piece on your desk or another display surface.
Embroidered Butterfly Hanging by Sum of Their Stories
Ready for some needlework? Sum of Their Stories provides clear enough directions (and links to more help) for even a brand-new beginner to embroider and sew this beautiful butterfly design.
Butterfly Quilt Wall Hanging by Needlepointers.com
Needlepointers.com teaches you everything you need to start quilting, with this stunning butterfly pattern. Of course, if you already know something about quilting, you’ll simply enjoy having a great new pattern to use. Either way, it’s a small scale project that’s great for beginners or for crafternoons!
Butterfly Cookies by A Table Full of Joy
Hey, baking is a craft too, you know! This tutorial uses cookie dough in two contrasting colors to create a butterfly design. Really fun for your teens who want something more involved than your basic cookie recipe.
How To Make Map Paper Moths Art by Pillar Box Blue
Using old maps to make these moths (they’re basically butterflies with less PR, right?) gives them a special quaint feel. Note that it calls for some sewing – apparently old enough maps can handle it. Of course, you can do this with butterflies too, for a unique piece of wall art!
DIY Butterfly Wall Decoration by Picture Box Blue
Here’s a craft that will yield spectacular results without requiring any really specialized skills. So if you weren’t up for the sewing projects linked above, this is the wall art for you, especially if you like a classic vintage look for your space.
Butterfly Coloring Pages by Moms and Crafters
We’ve shared some really sophisticated crafts here, but let’s not forget the basics – coloring is a most relaxing way to express yourself in art. It’s not as simple as it sounds, either, when you have a complex design like this to work on. Pull out your colored pencils, markers, or pens and print a few copies to experiment with different color combinations!
Got any favorite butterfly crafts to add to this list? Comment below!
