As we plant native milkweed and other pollinator-friendly plants to help monarch butterflies, let's also get crafty! And what better way to show your love for monarchs (and all colors of butterflies!) than with a monarch butterfly craft. With gorgeous colored wings, this craft is fairly straightforward and good for the little ones in your life, as well as older kids (and kids at heart). Join along as we guide you through making a monarch butterfly craft.
Watch the video above and follow the steps below to make your own monarch butterfly craft!
What you'll need:
- Monarch butterfly wings: Choose your monarch butterfly wing template, whether it's something from online or a photo you've taken and edited into art. The Land Trust used blogger Fireflies and Mud Pie's template.
- Jumbo popsicle stick: You will need a jumbo popsicle stick, not a regular-sized one. Use acrylic paint or an acrylic marker to color your popsicle stick, or use a jumbo popsicle stick that is already a fun color (you can find non-toxic colored popsicle sticks at local craft stores).
- Craft glue or hot glue gun: You'll need this to assemble your monarch butterfly craft! Craft glue or a hot glue gun will work best.
- Pipe cleaner: Choose classic black for your butterfly antennae or get creative with a variety of colors!
- Crayons, markers, or colored pencils: Choose what art medium you want for coloring in your monarch wings, whether it's crayons, markers, colored pencils, or a combination.
- Scissors: You'll need these for cutting out your monarch wings, as well as for cutting the pipe cleaner.
Monarch butterfly craft, step-by-step:
- Cut our your monarch butterfly wings, then color. Get creative! Once you've chosen your butterfly wing template and printed it out, cut out the wings. Then, get to coloring! Choose the classic monarch pattern, go wild with lots of colors, or choose another butterfly pattern.
- Attach your popsicle stick on top of the monarch wings. Attach using craft glue or a hot glue gun. Be sure the popsicle stick is on TOP of the wings. You'll want a little bit of the popsicle stick above the wings, acting as the head of your monarch. Wait for the glue to dry before moving on to your next step.
- Cut your pipe cleaner in half. Choose the color of pipe cleaner you'd like to use, then fold the pipe cleaner in half and cut with a pair of scissors.
- Fold your pipe cleaner in half, then curve the ends gently outwards. To make your butterfly antennae, fold your pipe cleaner in half, then curve the top ends outwards like butterfly antennae.
- Glue your antennae to the back of the popsicle stick with the antennae coming out the top. Flip your monarch so you see the backside. Glue on the antennae at the folded end using craft glue or a hot glue gun. Wait for the glue to dry before handling.
Enjoy your monarch butterfly craft! Use it as a puppet, fluttering its wings in the breeze, or display it with pride!
Learn more:
- Fall Craft Idea: Leaf Rubbings!
- Get your free, native milkweed seeds from the Land Trust and help create more monarch butterfly habitat in Central Oregon!
- What the Land Trust is doing to help monarch butterflies