Inside: Free printable template and instructions to make a cute and easy nature butterfly craft with kids of all ages.
Do your kids love butterflies? My kids love doing butterfly crafts and had so much fun making this nature butterfly craft earlier this week.
I had seen some crafts similar to this on Instagram and wanted to do it with my kids. But since I’m lacking in artistic ability to freehand draw a butterfly I needed to change it a bit.
I decided there were probably some other moms who would like an easy way to do this butterfly nature craft with their kids. So I’m sharing how we made did this craft without needing much artistic ability.
Nature Butterfly Craft
This nature butterfly craft is perfect for a backyard activity or to do on a walk. It’s also simple enough that you can do it with a class or group of kids.
I’ve done it with my kids and with our preschool group and it’s worked so well in both settings.
Supplies
- Cardboard box (a cereal type box works great or just print the template on cardstock and use that instead of cardboard)
- Butterfly template (bottom of the post)
- Pen
- Scissors
- Self-adhesive clear vinyl or packing tape
- Nature
After gathering all your supplies other than nature (haha) you’re going to make a sticky butterfly for your kids to use as they collect fun nature treasures.
Making the Butterfly
First, print out the butterfly template you can use the template to cut out a butterfly of cardboard or you can print the template on cardstock and simply cut out the inside of the butterfly. I’ve done it both ways and both turn out so cute.
Related Post: Handprint Butterfly Craft
If you’re cutting the butterfly out of cardboard continue with these steps cut out the butterfly template, trace the template onto the box. You should be able to get 2 butterflies out of a cereal size box.
After tracing the butterfly on the box cut it out.
For both the cardboard and cardstock butterflies to cut out the inside of the butterfly wings you can use an Exacto knife and cut around the wing shapes. For the cardboard butterflies be sure to leave about a half-inch from the shape you traced to give you an outline.
If you don’t have an Exacto knife you can poke a hole in the wing with a pen and then use scissors to carefully cut out the interior of the butterfly wings.
After you cut out the butterfly it’s time to add the stuff to make it sticky. I like to use clear self-adhesive vinyl but I have also used packing tape.
If you use the vinyl you can trace the butterfly shape cut it out and stick it to the cardboard butterfly or stick the cardboard butterfly to the vinyl then cut it out. Both options work.
To use packing tape cut strips of tape that are long enough to go across the whole open wing area. Layer the tape over each other and trim around the edges as needed.
Once your butterfly is ready it’s time to give it to the kids and head outside.
Nature Walk with Your Butterfly
My kids just ran around the backyard finding flowers, grass, weeds, blossoms etc. to put on their butterflies. (I even had a kid put dirt on his butterfly!)
You could easily take these butterflies on a walk or hike and find things to decorate your butterfly wings as you explore.
We did find that taking apart flowers and using their petals instead of the whole flower worked better for later flowers, especially dandelions.
For small flowers like pansies, you can just pull off the whole stem and flatten the flower fairly easily.
After your kids make their nature butterfly craft be sure to take pictures.
You can hang up the butterfly to enjoy for a few days but since it’s made from natural items they will start to die. Then it will be time for another nature craft or outdoor activity!
Free Printable Butterfly Template
Get the free printable butterfly template below. Please keep this template for personal use and class use only!
More posts you might enjoy
101 Outdoor Summer Activities (free printable list)
Ant Science Unit
Free Printable Summer Reading Log for Kids