These colorful paper butterflies make cute hanging decorations for your child's room, but they can also be used for active play. The best part? Putting them together is simple enough for you and your young child to do together!
What You Need:
- Clothespin (not the clip type)
- Colored construction paper
- Scissors White liquid glue
What You Do:
- Fold the construction paper in half.
- Draw a butterfly wing pattern on the paper.
- Cut around the pattern lines, but do not cut the fold.
- Unfold and decorate the wings with assorted scraps of construction paper, if desired.
- Slide the butterfly's wings between the clothespin opening and glue them to the clothespin.
- Cut antennae from construction paper slightly longer than you wish them to be. Make a small fold at the bottom of each antenna and glue it to the head of the clothespin.
- Cut two pieces of thread, each about 30 inches long.
- Tie one end of one piece of thread around the head of the clothespin, and knot, making the knot side up.
- Tie the other thread around the bottom of the clothespin, about 1/2 inch from the bottom. Leave the knot side up.
- Allowing the butterfly to hang free, gather both threads together 12 to 18 inches from the base.
- Gather the threads at the top and make a loop or another knot.
- Using a thumtack, fix the looped end of the thread to the ceiling of your child's room. Now the butterfly is ready to fly! Your child can also make the butterfly "fly" indoors or outside by carefully holding the top end of the thread and making the wings flap.
Excerpted with permission from The Busy Mom's Book of Quick Crafts for Kids by Judith Logan Lehne (Sterling, 2004)