25+ Best Butterfly Activities For Children That Are Amazing

Did you know that butterflies symbolize rebirth and transformation in Native American culture? Did you also know that in several Asian cultures, butterflies🦋 are seen as symbols of earthly beauty, love, and freedom? 

Butterflies🦋 not only have a lot of cultural and spiritual significance, but they also play a vital role in our environment. Butterflies are prolific pollinators that can travel longer distances than other pollinators🐝. 

The size of the butterfly population is considered an important indicator of the health of the ecosystem. Research has shown that teaching children about butterflies and the metamorphosis process helps them engage in science and biology. 

This is because it stimulates their curiosity. My goal with this article was to include art projects, learning exercises, and snack ideas that engage and stimulate your children🧒. 

Interesting Butterfly Activities For Kids

Butterflies are beautiful insects that have inspired literature, art, music, and even education for centuries.

However, due to climate change, excessive use of pesticides and insecticides on farmlands, extreme weather conditions, loss of habitat, and urbanization, their population has dwindled significantly in the last 100 years alone. 

Educating our children🧒 about butterflies is a great way of building compassion for butterflies and inspiring them to be conscientious of their environment. 

In this section, I will list several activities and learning exercises for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary school children🧒, along with snack ideas inspired by butterflies. Hope you and your children have a lot of fun while taking part in them. 

Paper Roll Butterfly 

Recycle empty paper rolls by helping your preschooler make this adorable craft. 

What you need- 

Empty paper towel rolls🧻, glue, construction paper, scissors, and color markers. 

Steps- 

• Help your child cut a rectangular piece of construction paper that is equal to the circumference of the paper towel roll🧻.
• Ask your child to decorate this rectangular piece with markers and stickers. Also, draw the butterfly’s face. 
• Wrap the paper roll with the construction paper using glue or tape. 
• On another construction paper, draw butterfly wings. Let your child decorate the wings once again and help them cut them using scissors✂️. 
• Paste the wings on the paper towel roll. 
• Make antennas similarly. Your paper towel roll craft is complete. 

Pro Tip- 

If you don’t have construction paper, then I recommend painting over the paper towel roll and using other household materials (like foam, styrofoam, or a sponge) to make the wings. 

Butterfly Strawberries Waffles 

If you are having waffles🧇 for breakfast, then consider turning them into butterflies for your child. 

What you need- 

Waffles🧇 , coconut savings, maple syrup, and strawberries. 

Steps- 

• After making the waffles🧇, cut them diagonally and place them on the plate in such a way that it looks like two wings. 
• Place the strawberries on top and garnish with coconut🥥 shavings. Serve with maple syrup. 

Pro Tip- 

You can substitute the strawberries and toppings with other fruits and toppings that your child prefers. 

Butterfly Sensory Bin for Preschoolers 

Utilize common household items to stimulate your child for a few hours. My toddler 👪loves playing with her sensory bin, and it is extremely useful as it engages their senses and helps them learn about their surroundings. 

What You Need- 

Ziplock bags, food coloring, plastic containers, and pasta🍝 (bowtie, shell, and rotini).

Steps- 

• Mix the 100 grams of each pasta🍝 and divide it into three equal piles. Put the pasta in different ziplock bags and add a few drops of food coloring to each bag. Shake well to coat each pasta. 
• Pour the pasta 🍝into a plastic container and mix it together. The sensory bin is ready to play with. 

Each type of pasta is a representation of different stages of Metamorphosis. For instance, rotini pasta represents the larvae, bowtie pasta represents the butterfly🦋, and shell pasta represents the cocoon. 

Pro Tip-

The Ziplock bags can be used again. Just rinse them after use. Also, the dried pasta can be used in other sensory bin activities or in art projects. 

Apple Pretzel Butterfly Snack 

This is a creative, fun, and healthy snack that your children will not only enjoy eating but also enjoy making. 

What you need- 

Pretzel sticks🥨, peanut butter, apple slices, celery stalks, and mini M&Ms. 

Steps- 

• After washing and drying the celery, cut them into 3 to 4-inch pieces. 
• Spread peanut🥜 butter in the center of the celery stalks. 
• Place two apple🍎 slices on each side of the stalk with the apple peel facing outside. 
• Break the pretzel🥨 sticks into two pieces and attach them to the top of the celery stalks. 
• Use the M&Ms for eyes. Your snack is ready. 

Marble Butterfly Painting 

Encourage your kids to make a butterfly🦋 painting using marbles instead of a paintbrush. My preschooler is a big fan of this technique of painting as she gets to get her hands dirty and play with marbles. 

What you need- 

Paint colors, spoons🥄, doll pegs, paint containers, pipe cleaners, marbles, a shallow container, and white paper. 

Steps- 

• Place the white paper inside the shallow container. 
• Fill several paint containers with different paint colors. Add the marbles. 
• Ask your child to pick the marbles with spoons🥄 and move them around on the paper to create a unique pattern. 
• Also, encourage them to mix colors and help them identify the new color formed. 
• Next, paint the doll pegs. 
• Use the painted paper to make wings and paste them on the doll peg. 
• Next, use the pope cleaners to make the antennas. Your marble butterfly painting is ready. 

Butterfly Face Masks 

Help your children role-play as butterflies with this easy face mask🎭. My daughter and son played with their masks for a couple of days and even developed their own fantasy world. 

What you need- 

Large popsicle sticks, scissors, foam sheet, box cutter, paint, paintbrush, glitter tubes, felt-tip marker, and glue. 

Steps- 

• Using the felt-tip marker, draw the butterfly, along with two eye holes and other details. Cut the butterfly using the scissors and remove the eye holes with the help of a box cutter. 
• Ask your child to pick their favorite colors and start painting the butterfly🦋 and its body. 
• Once the paint has dried, show them how to use the glitter tube to decorate the butterfly. Let the glitter dry completely, and secure a popsicle stick to the back of the butterfly with tape. The Butterfly Face Mask🎭 is ready. Repeat the process for more masks. 

Healthy Butterfly Snack Bag 

Did you know that kids are more likely to finish their lunch box if it is filled with vibrant food items? I was shocked to hear this as well, but the proof is in the pudding. A fulfilling lunchbox involves including fruits, raw vegetables, bread, and dessert. 

What you need- 

A Ziplock sandwich🥪 bag and a clothespin. 

Steps-

• Fill one ziplock bag with your child’s favorite fruits and raw veggies and another bag with trail mix. 
• My trail mix includes salted nuts, seeds, pretzel 🥨sticks, and candy. Seal the ziplock bag and twist them. 
• Secure the ziplock bags to each other with the help of a clothespin. 
• While the ziplock bags are the wings of the butterfly, the clothespin is the body. 

Pro tip- 

You can use the clothespin to write motivating and affirming messages for your child. 

Watch a video on Metamorphosis 

I recommend showing your preschoolers and kindergarteners episode 7 of Twinkle Trails. In this episode, the main character explains the life cycle of a butterfly with a catchy sing-song tune. 

My kids quickly picked on the different stages and were big fans of the adorable animation. It also taught them about the eating habits of caterpillars🪱 and butterflies. 

Edible Butterfly Life Cycle Demonstration 

This edible butterfly life cycle demonstration will help your child visualize the life cycle of the butterfly. 

What you need- 

Paper plate, marker, mini marshmallows, yogurt raisins, spring onion, licorice, and orange 🍊segments. 

Steps-

• Place the mini marshmallows and yogurt raisins on a corner of the plate and write eggs under it. 
• Make an arrow in the clockwork direction and place the spring onion; write caterpillar🪱 under it. 
• Make another arrow and place the licorice; this represents the cocoon. 
• Finally, place two orange segments in such a way that their inner halves are touching; this represents the butterfly. 

Pro Tip- 

You can use other edible items to represent the life cycle as well. For instance, pasta bows instead of orange🍊 segments and candy worms instead of spring onions. 

Celery Caterpillar Snack 

Celery caterpillars🪱 are quick and adorable ways to feed your children fruits and vegetables. 

What you need- 

Clean celery stalks, peanut 🥜butter, cream cheese, candy eyes👀, carrot matchsticks, grapes, and blueberries. 

Steps- 

• Cut the celery stalks into several 3 to 4-inch pieces. 
• Spread peanut butter on some and cream cheese on other celery stalks. 
• Top the celery stalks with peanut butter candy, grapes🍇, and blueberries. 
• On the other hand, top the stalks with cream cheese carrot matchsticks and other vegetables (like broccoli🥦, cucumber🥒, and bell peppers🫑). Serve on a platter. 

Pro Tip- 

You can also use nuts, seeds, and other vegetables to decorate the stalks. 

ThumbPrint Butterfly Craft for Toddlers 

Your toddler will absolutely love participating in this simple art. 

What you need- 

Washable, kid-friendly paint, blank white paper, and a marker. 

Steps- 

• Ask your child🧒 to draw a couple of flowers on the page using the marker. 
• Next, paint their thumbs using a brush and show them how to stamp it on the paper to make a butterfly🦋. Reapply the paint if it dries. 
• Repeat the process with different paint colors until the page is full of butterflies🦋. 
• Use the marker once again to make antennas. 

Butterfly Symmetry Painting 

My toddler had a lot of fun with this painting project. 

What you need- 

Paint, paintbrush🖌️, and white construction paper. 

Steps- 

• Fold the white construction paper in half. 
• On one half of the paper, help your child paint half of the body and one wing of the butterfly🦋. Add other details with paint. 
• While the paint is still dry, fold the paper and press on it properly. Open the paper carefully and let it dry. 

Butterfly Muffins 

Have muffins for breakfast? Then, you can make it more fun and healthy for your kids with this simple hack. 

What you need- 

Muffins of your choice, cream cheese, chocolate-covered pretzel 🥨sticks, kiwi fruit🥝, and strawberry🍓. 

Steps- 

• Slice your fruit so they resemble wings. 
• Fill a piping bag with cream cheese and add it to the muffins. 
• Break the pretzel sticks and put them in the middle of the muffin; place the fruit slices (of the same fruit) on both sides of the pretzel sticks. Your butterfly muffins are ready to be served. 

Pro Tip- 

You can skip the cream cheese if you want and even substitute the fruit. 

3D Butterfly Craft 

Help your child make a butterfly toy with this 3D craft. 

What you need- 

Watercolors, acrylic paint, pony beads, pipe cleaners, coffee☕ filters, and wooden skewers. 

Steps- 

• Paint the wooden skewers with acrylic paint and let them dry. 
• Paint the coffee☕ filters with watercolors in different paints. Let the filter dry. 
• To assemble the butterfly, scrunch the coffee☕ filter and secure it to the wooden skewer with pipe cleaners. 
• Do not cut the excess pipe cleaners and thread the pony beads into it. 
• Attach two smaller wooden skewers to the top of the butterfly with tape. 

Butterfly Crowns 

Help your child embrace their inner butterfly. 

What you need- 

Cardstock paper, scissors✂️, crayons, pencil, and paper clips. 

Steps- 

• Draw several butterflies🦋 with a pencil on cardstock paper. 
• Ask your child to use the crayons and other art supplies to decorate the butterfly🦋. Cut the butterflies with a pair of scissors. 
• Measure your child’s head and cut a band from the cardstock paper. Glue the ends of the band together and secure it with paper clips. 
• Paste the butterflies🦋 around the band, and the crown 👑is ready. 

Butterfly Bagel Breakfast 

If you have a picky eater who loves butterflies, then this is a great way to feed them a hearty, healthy breakfast. 

What you need- 

Bagels🥯, cream cheese, and strawberries🍓. 

Steps- 

• Slice the bagels in half. 
• Place the bagel halves on the plate, with the cut-side facing outside. 
• In a small mixing bowl, mix chopped strawberries🍓 and cream cheese. 
• Spread the cream cheese on the bagels🥯. 

Pro Tip- 

You can substitute strawberries with other fruits like blueberries, apples🍎, and seeds or nuts. 

Teach Kids About Other Metamorphosis process

If your kids are into butterflies and are curious about the life cycle of a butterfly, then you should introduce them to other animals that also go through a metamorphosis process; however, the stages are different.

For instance, you can introduce them to the metamorphosis process of mosquitoes, starfish, frogs🐸, grasshoppers🦗, and dragonflies. 

Butterfly Quesadilla 

Having a quesadilla for dinner? Decorate your child’s plate with quesadillas and fruits to look like a butterfly. 

What you need- 

Quesadilla, grapes🍇, carrots, and blueberries. 

Steps- 

• After you have made the quesadilla, cut it into four equal quadrants. 
• In the middle of the plate, line up six to seven grapes. Put two quadrants of the quesadilla on either side. 
• Cut the carrot🥕 in such a way that it resembles the butterfly’s antennae and place them on top of the grapes. Top it off with two blueberries. 

Pro Tip- 

You can substitute the fruits with other fruits. 

Build a Lego Set 

There are several Lego sets dedicated to butterflies. Legos and similar toys are incredibly beneficial for your child as they involve following steps, having patience, and coordinating with another player. 

It also improves their spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving abilities. My kids are big fans of Legos and absolutely love making their butterflies. 

Pro Tip- 

Save the packaging and guide of your Lego sets. Once my kids are done assembling a set and are no longer interested in it, I like to repackage the set and donate it to a shelter home🏠, library, daycare, or any institute that accepts used toys🧸. 

Butterfly Catching Game 

Want to tire out your child whilst simultaneously stimulating them physically and mentally? Then, this is the perfect game for your kid🧒 as it will also strengthen their problem-solving skills and motor skills. 

What you need- 

Plastic toy butterflies🦋 and a net catcher. 

Steps-

• Hide the toy butterflies around your house and backyard. 
• Ask your child to collect the butterflies with their net catcher. 

Pro Tip- 

Hide the butterflies in convenient yet challenging places. 

Butterfly Apple Wafer Snack 

Make snack time more hands-on and fun for your child with this simple snack. 

What you need- 

Sliced apples🍎, pretzels🥨, and vanilla wafers. 

Give your child🧒 these items and ask them to assemble them in the shape of a butterfly. Let your child’s creativity run loose on the plate, but don’t forget to ask them to finish their plate afterward as well. 

Butterfly Sponge Painting 

My children love arts and crafts that involve sponges, so I challenged them to draw a butterfly using only sponges. 

What you need- 

Kitchen sponge, rubber band, paper plate, paint, and white construction paper. 

Steps- 

• Tie a rubber band around the middle of the kitchen sponge so it resembles a butterfly. 
• Squirt different paint colors on a paper plate. 
• Provide these items to your child along with a kitchen sponge and let them do the rest. 

DIY Butterfly Wings 

Make your child their own butterfly wings to play with. 

What you need- 

A pencil✏️, large cardstock paper, jute rope, paintbrush, paint, scissors, and a box cutter. 

Steps- 

• Make a large butterfly on the cardstock paper using a pencil. 
• Ask your child🧒 to paint the butterfly as they like and make a design. They can also use stickers, glitter gels, and other art supplies. 
• Once the paint has dried, turn the sheet on the other side and repeat the process. 
• Using a box cutter, make four holes in the middle of the butterfly drawings in such a way that it makes a perfect square. 
• Take a rope and feed it through the top left hole on the front of the butterfly🦋. Now, take the other end of the rope and feed it through the top right hole. Make sure that the ropes are the same length on each side. 
• Now, feed the rope coming out of the top left corner through the bottom left corner. Repeat the process on the right side. Tie the rope on the other side with enough room in the back for straps. The wings are ready to wear. 

Banana Butterfly Snack 

My children were not only impressed with the edible butterfly🦋 but also devoured this healthy late-afternoon snack. 

What you need- 

Banana🍌, apple, dried cranberries, and pretzel🥨. 

Steps- 

• Cut the banana🍌 into two equal halves and place them on the plate with the tapered end facing upward. 
• Cut the apples🍎 into chopsticks and place two of them on the tapered end of the banana. 
• Place two dried cranberries on the banana🍌 and stick two pretzels🥨 on either side of the banana to resemble the eyes and wings of the butterfly, respectively. 

Pro Tip- 

You can also cover the banana🍌 in peanut butter, chocolate, and some dried nuts and seeds. 

Read Books About Butterflies 

There are several books about butterflies🦋 that cater to preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary school-aged children. I have curated a list of books that my children have read and enjoyed about butterflies🦋. 

Some of these books are- Caterpillar Dreams, Out of Nowhere, Butterflies On The First Day of School, Velma Gratch & the Way Cool Butterfly, Ten Magic Butterflies, The Crunching Munching Caterpillar, The Very Impatient Caterpillar, and The Little Butterfly That Could. 

Butterfly Feeder 

If you have a garden, then you probably notice butterflies🦋 fluttering around your garden. Butterflies are attracted to certain plants and fruits. To attract butterflies🦋 to your garden, you can help your child make a DIY butterfly feeder. 

I like to use an old bird feeder in which my kids like to serve fruits like bananas🍌, oranges🍊, pineapples🍍, and pears 🍐depending upon the season, along with water. 

Stained Glass Butterfly 

The kids will love to come up with new designs for this activity. 

What you need- 

Construction paper, ruler, oil crayon, watercolors, and paintbrush🖌️. 

Steps- 

• Ask your child to draw a large butterfly🦋 on the construction paper. 
• Using a ruler, instruct them to make horizontal and vertical lines across the wings. 
• Now, tell them to either draw different shapes or use different colors to fill wings. 

My son decided to draw a pattern instead of just filling the wings with color. 

Butterfly Matching Card Game 

This exercise is meant for toddlers and preschoolers as it involves recognizing patterns, colors, and shapes. 

Steps- 

• Print out two copies of the same butterfly🦋 picture. 
• Have a deck of at least ten different butterflies. 
• Shuffle them and ask your child to match the same butterfly🦋 card to each other. 

Butterfly Number Sequence Puzzle 

This puzzle involves employing your child’s number recognition skills and assembly skills. 

What you need-

Picture of a butterfly, scissors, pen/pencil.

Steps-

• All you need to do is print out or draw a large picture of a butterfly 🦋(the butterfly should cover the entire paper). 
• Take a ruler and make 10 to 12 strips of the same size from this paper. 
• On the back of the sheet, write the number denoting their placement. 
• For instance, the strip with the number 1 written on it will be the first strip. 
• Now, ask your child to assemble the strips. 
• Don’t tell them about the numbers at first, and let them figure it out for themselves. 

Butterfly Life Cycle Necklace 

My daughter loves her butterfly life cycle necklace. 

What you need- 

Green construction paper, paper straws🥤, scissors✂️, markers, and thread. 

Steps- 

• Draw four leaves on the green construction paper and cut them with scissors✂️. 
• Each leaf will represent the four stages of Metamorphosis- egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly. 
• Therefore, using a marker, write- egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly on each leaf, respectively. You can also do a little drawing underneath it. 
• Using tape, secure each leaf to the thread. 
• I recommend adding a small piece of paper straw🥤 between each leaf to ensure that the leaves don’t overlap. 

Butterfly Sandwich 

If you want to make snack time more fun for your children, then consider making them butterfly sandwiches🥪.

The best thing about this sandwich is that you can make it with any filling. Using a knife, cut two slices of bread in the shape of a simple butterfly, and add your fillings like normal. 

Pro Tip- 

You can decorate the exterior of the butterfly sandwich🥪 to look more like a butterfly with the help of almonds, baby carrots, dried apricots, and other fruits and vegetables. 

Cupcake Liner Butterfly 

Help your child decorate their room with this easy project. 

What you need- 

Printed cupcake liners, googly eyes👀, glue, and clothespins. 

Step- 

• With the help of glue, paste two cupcake liners on either side of the clothespin. 
• Now, ask your child to glue the googly eyes👀 on the clothespin. 

Pro Tip- 

You can also provide your child with other art supplies to decorate the butterfly with. 

Caterpillar Counting Exercise 

Teach your toddler how to count with this adorable exercise idea. 

What you need- 

Green Construction Paper, Marker, and mini cotton balls. 

Steps- 

• Draw several leaves on the green construction paper and write different numbers on it. Cut them with scissors. 
• Provide your child with these leaves along with the cotton balls, and tell them to put the written number of cotton balls on the leaf. 

Pro Tip- 

You can make this game more challenging by asking your child to only use tongs or chopsticks 🥢to pick up the caterpillars. 

Butterfly Face Painting 

If you are hosting your child’s butterfly-themed birthday party, then I highly recommend hiring a face painter. 

You also don’t need an occasion to paint your child’s face, and therefore, if you are artistic, I recommend purchasing a face painting kit and following a tutorial. 

Butterfly Lettuce Wraps 

Your children will love devouring these butterfly-themed lettuce wraps. 

What you need- 

Diced red bell peppers, minced chicken🍗 or beef, diced button mushrooms🍄, minced garlic🧄, crushed black pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and butterhead lettuce. 

Steps- 

• In a small bowl, mix a quarter cup of hoisin sauce and soy sauce and two teaspoons of sesame oil, along with crushed black pepper. 
• On a large skillet, add some sesame oil and garlic on medium heat and saute for 1 minute. Add the minced meat and let it cook until it has browned. 
• Add the vegetables and let it cook until the vegetables have softened. Then, add the sauce. 
• Meanwhile, prep the lettuce by removing leaves, washing it, and patting it dry with a paper towel. 
• On a plate, place two lettuce leaves and the filling once it has cooled. 

Pro Tip- 

You can decorate the plate to look more like a butterfly by placing a carrot in between the two leaves. 

Conclusion 

If your children are fascinated by butterflies🦋, then these activities and snack ideas will be an incredible asset for you to keep them entertained and feed them healthy food. 

My kids participated in many of the activities mentioned above, and they really enjoyed themselves, especially my youngest daughter, who loves butterflies🦋 on everything. 

Hopefully, your children will enjoy these activities and snacks as much as my kids🧒 did. Let me know in the comments down below what your child’s favorite activity and snacks were.