This quick and easy butterfly craft idea is a fun way to recycle your leftover toilet rolls, and turn them into beautiful butterfly decorations.
A butterfly is instantly recognizable by toddlers, so it is an easy project to have them engage in from a young age.
We have provided full instructions so you can make your own craft project at home, complete with step by step instructions and a video demo.
Prepare Your Toilet Roll Materials
You can make as many butterflies as you have toilet rolls so you may want to put them aside for a few days and keep them in a safe (and clean) place.
All you will need is some basic craft materials and a nice clear space to work on your craft project.
The stapler and scissors should be kept out of reach of young children, but everything is relatively harmless.
Butterfly Toilet Roll Craft Video Demonstration
Check out the video below. This will run through the project from start to finish in just two minutes.
Seeing how your butterfly comes together will make it much easier to follow the written instructions as you go.
How to Make a Toilet Roll Butterfly Craft
This is a fun butterfly craft activity that utilizes leftover toilet roll and some paper to create these beautiful and colorful butterfly decorations.
It is a quick and easy project for you to do with your kids and is suitable as early as toddler and preschool age.
Instructions
Stage 1: Cover Your Toilet Roll in Colored Paper
- Step 1 - Select your colored paper for your butterfly body, and cut a length of paper to the same size of the toilet roll.
- Step 2 - Place one end of the paper on the toilet roll and staple in place at both ends of the roll.
- Step 3 - Proceed to roll the toilet roll along the paper to cover the external surface of the roll with the paper.
- Step 4 - Staple the loose end of the paper in place at both ends of the toilet roll.
Stage 2: Cut Out Your Butterfly Wings
- Step 5 - Take another sheet of colored paper (we recommend an opposing color) and fold in half.
- Step 6 - Grab your toilet roll and place it in the middle of the creased side of the folded paper and mark both ends with a pencil on the paper. This is where your butterfly wings will join.
- Step 7 - Draw a butterfly wing shape on the paper that starts and finishes at your two marked points at the creased side of the paper where your toilet roll (butterfly body) was marked out.
- Step 8 - Cut out the butterfly wings (with the paper still folded over.
- Step 9 - Unfold your paper to show your two butterfly wings joined in the middle.
Stage 3: Assemble Your Butterfly
- Step 10 - Cut a length of pipe cleaner about 4" long.
- Step 11 - Fold the pipe cleaner in half creating a V shape, and then bend the two loose ends of the pipe cleaner over on itself into two J like shapes. These are your butterfly antennae.
- Step 12 - Apply glue to the base of the antennae and place on the inside of the toilet roll with the top of the antennae showing out the top of the body.
- Step 13 - Apply glue to the center of the butterfly wings and place your butterfly body in place.
- Step 14 - Glue on the eyes at the same end as your pipe cleaner antennae.
Stage 4: Decorate Your Butterfly Wings
- Step 15 - Decorate your butterfly wings with whatever you like. We have used buttons, but you can also just draw on it if you want.
- Step 16 - Draw a happy smiley face on your butterfly to finish him off.
Why Make a Toilet Roll Butterfly Craft
The elements of this project are all big and easy for a young child to handle.
Seeing this come together from some old toilet rolls and paper, to become a complete butterfly with antlers, eyes and even a smiley face will help nurture that creative side.
You can also use this as an opportunity to teach them more about butterflies, such as what antennae are there for, and whether they od actually have a smiley face….
For More Butterfly Craft Ideas
We have put together a full list of butterfly craft ideas that are suitable for kids.
All with full instructions and video demonstrations, including project ideas such as:
Final Word
What I liked most about these cute little insect crafts is that once your body and wings are assembled your kids can personalize the project by decorating however they like.
This can keep them busy for a longer period of time if you create a few sets of butterflies.
It also shows your kids a good way of recycling your toilet rolls and turning what is a waste product into a beautiful decoration.
