Easy Butterfly Suncatcher Craft (Free Printable for Kids)

Grab your copy of the free butterfly template and make this cute Butterfly Suncatcher Craft. This is a fun and easy kids craft idea that is suitable for a Spring or insect themed unit in your preschool classroom.

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Butterfly Crafts for Kids

I make a lot of different insect crafts during Spring. My children just love heading out into the garden and finding all the little bugs that live in our yard. If you’re itching to get crafting this year, try some of my most popular butterfly themed crafts for kids.

1. Paper Plate Butterfly Craft
2. Free Toilet Paper Roll Butterfly Craft Template
3. Butterfly Kite Craft (Free Printable Template)
4. Coffee Filter Butterflies
5. Cardboard Butterfly Wings Craft

For more ideas, take a look at these 45 Butterfly Crafts for Kids.

Materials Needed

1. Butterfly template
2. Printer and paper
3. Contact paper
4. Scissors
5. Construction paper in different colors

How to Make a Butterfly Suncatcher Craft

1. Download and print the butterfly template.

I’ve used this same template to make a DIY Butterfly Peg Board, butterfly scrape painting and butterfly silhouette art.

You can get the template by heading to the bottom of the post and clicking the blue button.

2. Cut out the inside portion of the wings.

This step might be tricky for younger children. So if you are doing this Spring craft with toddlers and preschoolers, you may need to help them cut out the wings.

3. Cover your butterfly with contact paper.

Place the front side of the butterfly template, to the sticky side of the contact paper. You want to make sure that the sticky side of the contact paper is facing the back of your butterfly picture.

If you want to prepare for this fun activity beforehand. Then now is the time to place the original backing of the contact paper, back onto the sticky side of the contact paper (with the template wedged in between).

This means you can easily store your sticky template for later, without worrying about dust or anything else sticking to the butterfly’s wings. Then when you’re ready to play, simply peel the backing off.

4. Tear the construction paper into strips.

This is optional. You can also use scissors to cut the paper into strips, squares or any other shape you want.

You can also choose to use different materials instead of craft paper. Other ideas include:

1. Tissue paper
2. Colored cellophane
3. Or use sharpies to color in the non-sticky side of the contact paper.

If you’re going to try idea 3, then keep the original backing of the contact paper in place while you draw and color in. When you’re ready to hang it on the window, then peel off your backing so that the butterfly can stick.

5. Decorate your butterfly wings.

Place your strips of paper onto the sticky side of the contact paper. You can decorate your butterfly wings anyway you like. You can follow a pattern or just place the colors randomly. There is no wrong way to create.

6. Cut out the butterfly.

Use a pair of scissors to cut out the entire butterfly shape and any pieces of paper that are too long for your picture.

Once again, this step is optional. If your young kids are still learning to cut using scissors, then you can always just place the entire page on the window. It’ll look beautiful regardless.

If you know that you won’t be cutting the entire butterfly out at the end, consider printing the template onto different colored paper. That way your butterfly will already have a sky blue or sunset pink background.

7. Hang it up

Stick you butterfly sun catcher on the window and enjoy the colors as the sun shines through.

What You’re Learning

Creativity

Arts and crafts are a great way to use your imagination and then create something that represents that idea in the real world. This is important not only for artistic pursuits, like painting or music, but also for problem solving. Which is an essential life skill that everyone needs to develop.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills refer to the small muscles in the hand and fingers. Developing these skills are important in being able to write when the kids go to school, as well as being able to complete tasks independently. (For example, dressing and feeding themselves)

Using scissors, tearing and picking up the paper, are all going to help young kids develop:

1. Pincer and tripod grip
2. Hand Strength
3. Hand-eye coordination
4. Dexterity.

Science

This is a great opportunity to talk to your children about butterflies. Explore their fascinating life cycle and get them interested in the world around them.

You may also be interested in this Butterfly Life Cycle, it’s a craft and science activity that also comes with a free template to use for your craft, and free pictures and fun butterfly facts to use during circle time.

Planning and Organization

This butterfly suncatcher craft has several steps that need to be done in a specific order for this picture to work. For example, you need to cut out the inside of the butterfly’s wings first, before you can use colored paper to decorate it.

Organizing the required materials beforehand, as well as planning out each step before you do it, is a great way for kids to strengthen their executive functioning skills.

Are you going to make this Butterfly Suncatcher Craft with your kids? Don’t forget to pin the idea for later.

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