Squeegee Painted Butterfly Craft for Kids - Easy Art Project

Make a beautiful butterfly using a fun squeegee painting technique! Kids will love pulling paint across paper plates to create colorful wings. This project is a great way to explore art and fine motor skills.

15-45 minutes Ages 5-12 3 steps may need help

About This Project

A 15–45 minutes craft for ages 5–12, using supplies you likely already have — Tape, Pom Poms, and Scissors.

GlueStick supports kids from setup to cleanup. After they choose a project, we guide them through gathering the supplies, making it, and cleaning up when they're done. We'll even help them share it safely with trusted family and friends.

Ad-free and kid-safe library — designed by a mom who wants kids to explore and create independently.

This project is perfect for:

spring crafts
indoor art activities
fine motor skill practice
budget-friendly fun
garden themes
classroom art centers

Step 1: Make the butterfly wings

May need grown-up help

First, draw a big butterfly wing on one paper plate. Make it as big as you can! Carefully cut out the wing you drew. Now, place that cut-out wing on the second paper plate and trace around it with your pencil. Cut out this second wing too. If you have a special butterfly wing template, you can use that instead to cut out your wings.

Butterfly Wing Template

Step 2: Squeegy paint the paper butterfly wings

May need grown-up help

Lay one of your butterfly wings on a piece of newspaper to keep your table clean. Squeeze several drops of different colored paints in a line across the straight part of the wing. Make sure the paint drops are close together and touching. Take a clean popsicle stick and pull the paint across the wing. Watch the colors mix! Do the same thing for the second butterfly wing, using a new clean popsicle stick. Let both wings dry completely.

Step 3: Paint the butterfly body

May need grown-up help

Pinch a pompom with a clothespin to make a special paintbrush. Squeeze a little bit of paint onto a surface. Dip your pompom brush into the paint and color one of your popsicle sticks. This will be your butterfly's body! Set it aside to dry. You can also leave the popsicle stick its natural color if you like.

Step 4: Add details to your butterfly

Use Elmer's glue to stick two small googly eyes onto your painted popsicle stick body. If your googly eyes have sticky backs, you can just press them on. Then, use a marker or a little bit of paint to draw a happy mouth on your butterfly's face!

Step 5: Make the butterfly antennae

Cut a pipe cleaner in half. Fold that piece in half and curl the ends to make little antennae. Use Elmer's glue to attach the pipe cleaner antennae to the back of your painted popsicle stick body. If you don't want to wait for the glue to dry, you can use a piece of tape instead.

Step 6: Put it all together

Once all the glue and paint are dry, use your glue stick to attach the colorful wings to the back of your butterfly's body (the painted popsicle stick). Now your squeegy painted butterfly is ready to fly!

Squeegee Painted Butterfly Craft for Kids - Easy Art Project

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