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Beautiful Butterfly Prints

Butterflies are some of the most interesting critters on the planet. Known for their unusual life cycle and camouflage abilities, butterflies are sure to catch anybody’s eye. Many of these creatures, such as the monarch butterfly, migrate over long distances in certain seasons. They are also important economical pollinators as they fly from flower to flower.

Our favorite features of the beautiful butterfly are their magnificent colors and symmetry. Many creatures in nature are symmetrical. This means that they have balanced, equal parts on both sides. There are two common types of symmetry: radial like a starfish and bilateral which is the type of symmetry that humans and butterflies have. The left and right side of a butterfly are exactly the same, which makes it very easy for a folding activity! Here is a fun craft to do with your kids to teach them about colors, symmetry, and butterflies!

Beautiful Butterfly Prints

Beautiful Butterfly Prints

What you will need

  • Black paint
  • 3 or 4 different acrylic paint colors
  • One sheet of white construction paper

What to do?

  1. Fold the paper in half so there is a crease in the middle.
  2. Draw a wing with the black paint and half a body to the left of the crease.
  3. Paint the outline of half a butterfl

    Paint the outline of half a butterfly on one side of the crease

  4. Refold the paper while the paint is still wet to complete the outline of your butterfly.
  5. The wet paint

    The wet paint creates a perfect mirror image to complete your butterfly's shape!

  6. Let your child make globs of paint on the inside of the wing.
  7. Paint Wings

    The paint will transfer from one side to the other when you refold the paper, so you only need to fill in one side of the butterfly.

  8. Now, refold the paper on the crease so the paint touches the other side of the paper.
  9. Press firmly, and then open the paper.
  10. Symmetrical Butterfly Prints

    When you are done, the butterfly will be perfectly symmetrical and perfectly beautiful!

    The colors should have spread evenly and made another wing on the opposite side of the paper. You may need to press your paper together after each time you add new paint to make sure the paint transfers to the other side of the paper properly. If the paint gets too dry, it will not make a full print on the other side. You and your child can cut the butterfly out once the paint has dried and tape it on a window or hang it with fishing wire to make your butterfly look like its fluttering through the air.

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