Children's Activities: Easy Paper Butterflies
Recommended for ages 2-5
This simple and colorful craft is a hit with children and helps practice fine motor skills. And bonus: It only requires tissue paper and pipe cleaner. You may display or hang the butterflies from a mobile, but children will probably want to play with them and “fly” them around immediately!
What you’ll need:
pipe cleaners (cut in half)
scissors
colorful tissue paper
(optional) plastic perler beads
How to assemble:
1. Cut tissue paper into 4” x 6” rectangles in several different colors. Children can select at least 3 colors of paper and stack them on top of each other.
Optional: you may want to cut or have children cut a slight curve in the center. Older children may want to cut the edges of paper into scallops or curves for the butterfly wings.
2. Bend the piece of pipe cleaner in half. Take the tissue papers and scrunch them up in the middle, then slide the pipe cleaner over the tissue.
3. Twist the pipe cleaner to secure the tissue paper.
4. Separate tissue layers to “fluff” out the wings. You have a butterfly!
5. Children may want to string beads onto the “antennas” (ends of the pipe cleaners) before twisting them to secure the beads.
