Butterflies are among the most beautiful insects. They have four wings; their colors may be bright or pale, and they often form a pattern. There are over 15,000 different kinds of butterflies, and they live all over the world. In this fun activity, you get to choose the color and pattern you’d like your butterfly to have. Be sure to check out some of the resources recommended below to learn more about butterflies.

Supplies Needed:

  • Butterfly template on white cardstock
  • Acrylic paint in assorted colors
  • Q-tips
  • Scissors
  • Paintbrush
  • Paper plate or paint palette

Instructions:

Step 1: Print out your butterfly template on white cardstock. Butterfly Template

Step 2: Pour out your paint colors onto a paper plate or paint palette and use one Q-tip per color. Make sure you don’t mix up the Q-tip colors.

Step 3: Use your Q-tips to paint dots onto your butterfly. Have fun creating different wing patterns. Take your time and explore different colors and patterns.

Step 4: Next, paint the butterfly body using your paintbrush. Let the wings and body dry.

Useful Resources

COSMOS

Becoming a Butterfly by  Ruth A. Musgrave

Vibrant photography, colorful illustrations, and simple facts combine to show how a butterfly becomes a butterfly, from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to an adult ready to spread its wings and fly.

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Born to be a Butterfly by Karen Wallace

Simple text and photographs describe the stages by which a butterfly develops from an egg.

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I Love Insects by Rockwell, Lizzy

The girl in this story loves insects. Her friend does not like insects. Like them or not, children will learn many interesting facts, as well as why insects are essential to human survival.

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HOOPLA

Butterfly by William Anthony

Have you ever wondered how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly? This colorful life science guide shows you how it works! Real-life photographs combined with charming illustrations are sure to interest even the most reluctant readers.

Ebook available on Hoopla

Butterfly by R.E. Robertson

A butterfly is an insect. It’s a flying insect! What does it eat? And how does it use its feet? Let’s find out! Flying Insects: Butterfly gives young readers in prekindergarten to grade 1 an introduction to these fascinating fliers through simple text, vivid photos, and fun facts. This series introduces early readers to flying insects. Each book includes a list of words to look for in the text, with callouts that match the word to the image on the page where it appears.

Ebook available on Hoopla