Painted Newspaper Butterfly Craft

Start saving up newsprint because your kids will love every detail of creating this colorful painted newspaper butterfly craft!

This past weekend we shared an easy tip on Instagram of how we love using an empty ice tray to hold our liquid watercolors when we are using them for painting. After my daughter painted two full sheets of newspaper we had so much fun all week making colorful newspaper crafts that are perfect for spring time.

Close up square image of painted newspaper butterfly craft laying on a pink background with a pink pom pom scattered in the background.

Our latest is this cute newspaper butterfly craft we are sharing with you today. It’s so simple and fun to create. Your kids are going to love it!

[This craft post was originally published on April 18, 2016. It has been updated to include a new butterfly craft template, updated tutorial, photos and a video.]

close up image of three painted newspaper butterfly crafts

How to Make a Painted Newspaper Butterfly Craft

Whether you’re looking for a fun preschool craft to add to your insect theme or you’re looking for some fun, new sprint or summer activities for kids, this butterfly craft is perfect!

Read our easy step-by-step instructions below for how to make your own colorful butterflies.

Supplies needed to make your colorful butterflies:

This post contains affiliate links to the products mentioned. Read our disclosure policy for more information.

Instructions for making a painted newspaper butterfly craft

1. Start by painting your newspaper with your liquid watercolors. The newspaper will be saturated but don’t worry. Let it sit to dry overnight and it will crisp back up.

See Also: Newspaper Owl Craft for Kids

Four image collage showing how to paint the newspaper with watercolors, how to cut out the butterfly wings from the newspaper and how to assemble the butterfly together.

2. Fold a section of newspaper in half and cut out the shape of a butterfly wing. When you unfold it you’ll have two butterfly wings.

Or download and print out our new butterfly wings template for this craft. After cutting out the template, use a pencil to trace the wings onto your painted newspaper. Then cut out the butterfly wings.
two painted newspaper butterfly crafts laying on a faux wood background
3. Glue a craft stick in the center of your butterfly wings. Use your Fun Chalk markers to decorate your butterfly wings and add eyes on the craft stick butterfly body.

4. Finish your painted newspaper butterfly craft by folding a piece of white string in half and gluing it onto the back of your craft stick to make butterfly antennae.
Close up vertical image of butterfly craft laying on a pink background with the words "newspaper butterfly craft" in the top right corner.

Want to make this fun butterfly craft as a book extension activity?

We love combining crafts every week with books at home. Here are a few of our favorite butterfly themed books that would go along great with this craft:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly by Alan Madison

Becoming Butterflies by Anne Rockwell
vertical image of two painted newspaper butterfly crafts with the words "painted newspaper butterflies".

You might also enjoy these fun and easy kids crafts:

Check out our complete list of amazing newspaper craft ideas for kids!

Here is the ultimate list of newspaper craft ideas for kids. Whether you have already discovered how much you love crafting with newspaper or it's something you would love to try for the first time, this amazing list will give you ideas galore of wonderful newspaper craft ideas.

Related categories

Kids CraftsSeasonal
Nine windsock crafts in a square collage image.

DIY Windsock Crafts for Kids
Close up square image of spring, summer, fall and winter yarn wrapped trees laying flat on a pink background.

Four Seasons Tree Craft