It’s time to craft with leaves when you notice vibrant greens, yellows and reds falling from above. A butterfly nature craft seemed just the excuse to use the fallen gems.
This craft does use hot glue, which I find is always a nice excuse to do a craft together with your child. Crafting with your child creates fond memories of time spent collecting natural materials, putting the parts in place and then sharing in the marvel of the finished product, together.
Butterfly nature craft materials
- Sticks
- Leaves
- Permanent markers
- Glue gun
How to make the nature butterfly
Check out how to make them!
- Fold a leaf in half and cut it into the the shape of a butterfly’s top wing. Unfold it and split it down the middle.
- Do the same thing to make the bottom part of the butterfly wing.
- With a permanent marker, draw the butterfly wing patterns on all four leaves. Make sure the leaves are mirror images to the other.
- Using the permanent marker, add a cute butterfly face to your stick.
- Using a glue gun, glue the leaves onto the back of the stick.
- Draw the patterns on the back of the leaves and then it’s time to play!

Extend their learning
Here’s some ways you can add learning to this butterfly nature craft:
- Research butterflies and identify which butterfly looks like yours
- Make the full butterfly life cycle with nature
- Discuss the texture and patterns on the nature you’re interacting with
- Name the parts of your butterfly
- Explore the changes in your butterfly each day. Why are are wings crumpling? Why are they changing colour?
And although coloured leaves are beautiful just as they are, a butterfly nature craft highlights how pretty, by far!
More butterfly activities?
- Top butterfly activities – including a free butterfly mask printable
- Butterfly Barbie wings – free printable
You may also like our
Nature Arts and Crafts Pack
This pack will provide hours of fun, learning,
and creativity for you and your children.
– Over 30 nature arts and craft printables
– Printables include an easy how-to instruction sheet
Just add nature to bring the printable to life!
Super cute! Always looking for fun and easy crafts for the kids.
Thanks Jessica, I’m glad you like it. This one was super easy to make and my kids and I were thrilled at how it turned out. I think we’ll be making some as gifts for people we know need a little smile.
Beautiful. I love them.
They’d look stunning hanging from a mobile
These are just gorgeous! And so easy to make! Great idea Penny 🙂
I love this craft idea. I shared it on my fb page and linked to it on my blog today. Would love for you to check it out. Thanks for sharing this awesome idea!
What a clever idea for making natural butterflies! You are just so clever!!
Very cute!! I just love nature crafts like this!