This fun tissue paper butterflies craft is great for little hands with big imaginations! This is a great spring craft idea that allows kids to get creative, colorful, and crafty all at the same time!
Cut the top and the lip of the egg carton off, then cut each one in half. This will be the base of your garden. Then cut a small 1/4 inch slit in the center of the bottom of each of the cups.
2 empty cardboard egg cartons
Next, flip the cartons back over and paint the cartons green with the paint. Then set aside and let them dry for at least 10 minutes.
2 oz green craft paint
Start by cutting six different 5×5 inch squares of one color of tissue paper. Stack them together and set aside.
tissue paper in various colors
Next, take two pieces of a different color of tissue paper and cut two six by six inch pieces – slightly larger than the 5×5 inch pieces you cut previously.
Stack the two pieces of the second color of tissue paper on top of each other (and straighten them out). Then layer the first color of tissue paper on top of the second color, placing them right in the center so you have a 1/2 inch border from the edge of the paper.
Once you’ve stacked the two colors of tissue paper on top of each other, fold them accordion style starting at the bottom of the tissue paper until you’ve reached the top.
Hold your stack of tissue papers horizontally and staple the folded stack of the tissue paper so that the staple goes vertical into the center.
Once you’ve stapled the tissue paper, cut the corner of each end of the stack diagonally to create the wings of the butterfly.
Then finally cut a green pipe cleaner in half and loop it around the center of the butterfly. Twist a few times to secure it onto the tissue papers. Cut the top of each of the pipe cleaners to form the butterfly’s antennas.
6 green pipe cleaners
Carefully peel each layer of the center tissue paper toward the center of the butterfly.
Clip a colorful clothespin to the center of each of the butterflies. Then add a set of googly eyes to each clothespins to make them even more fun!
12 colorful clothespins, 12 googly eyes
Lastly, cut a 1 1/2 inch piece of the double-sided tape and place one side onto the popsicle stick then connect the popsicle stick to the clothespin to connect everything all together.
12 popsicle sticks, double-sided craft tape
Now that your egg cartons are dry, add your favorite designs using craft makers – rainbows, more butterflies, bugs, and really anything goes!
Let these dry for just a minute then finish the craft by placing the popsicle sticks into the pre-cut slits in the painted egg cartons.
Notes
Make this easy for the little ones. Pre-cut tissue paper squares and egg cartons before you even get started. Then the other stuff is pretty simple and kids love to help!Fluff the tissue paper gently so it doesn’t rip and you have to start all over again!Cover the table with a plastic tablecloth so when you’re done, you can just fold it up and throw it away – paint marks, extra staples, cut tissue paper corners, and more!