Butterfly Craft: Watercolors and Clothespins

It wouldn’t be spring without at least one butterfly craft for the kids! This activity uses paper instead of coffee filters, which I’m sure you’ve seen many times before. Watercolor paints are inexpensive and easy for kids to use. They dry in vibrant colors, making this a perfect spring craft.

Clothespin Butterfly Craft

I’ve used doll pins (also called round slotted clothespins) for these butterflies, but you could certainly use regular spring clothespins as well. As I mentioned, this projects uses a piece of paper instead of a coffee filter. The paper is then folded accordion style and spread out after it’s been inserted into the clothespin. It’s a great project for kids to show their artistic side.

I love how bright these turned out! Aren’t the colors beautiful?

These make great fridge magnets, or you can tie a string to them and hang them from the ceiling or a doorway.

They would also be really cute as a springtime butterfly mobile. Just use a couple of dowels criss crossed over each other and tie butterflies to the dowels.

Note: some links below are affiliate links. That means if you happen to buy something, a small percentage of that sale goes back into this site, which enables me to continue to bring you free tutorials such as this one. So, thanks!

As always, a full printable supply list and instructions are at the end of this post. If you like, you can make your own watercolor paint at home!

For this project you will need the following supplies:

• 2 round slotted clothespins (also called doll pins)
• Black paint
• 2 tiny googly eyes
• Black pipe cleaner
• 1 sheet of copier paper
• Watercolor paints or you can make your own
• Tools: paintbrush, Tacky Glue

• Paint the clothespins black and set aside to dry.
• Glue on the googly eyes.

• Paint the piece of paper with the watercolor paints.
• Don’t leave any white areas, paint the whole thing and be as colorful as you can!

• When dry, cut the painted paper in half so that you have two 5″x8″ (approximately) pieces.
• Starting at the 5″ side, fold paper up accordion style.
• Repeat for the second painted paper.

• Stretch the paper out.
• With the clothespin laying on the table, insert the 5″ side of the paper, painted side facing up, into the clothespin’s slot.

• Gather the paper up into the slot by pulling and pushing the paper a little at a time.
• Spread the wings out and shape them.

• Cut the pipe cleaner in half.
• Wrap it around the neck of the clothespin so that the open ends are in the back.
• Twist it closed around the neck.

• Bend the two ends up so that the stick up behind the head.
• Trim to desired length for your antennae.

Hope you enjoyed this project! Here are more projects you might like. Have fun!

More Butterfly Crafts

1. Paper Doily Butterflies
2. Toilet Paper Tube Beaded Butterfly
3. Puffy Tissue Paper Butterfly Craft

Print Project

Clothespin Butterflies

Supplies

• 2 round slotted clothespins also called doll pins
• Black paint
• 2 tiny googly eyes
• Black pipe cleaner
• 1 sheet of copier paper
• Watercolor paints
• Tools: paintbrush white craft glue

Instructions

• Paint the clothespins black and set aside to dry.
• Paint the piece of paper with the watercolor paints. Don't leave any white areas, paint the whole thing and be as colorful as you can!
• When dry, cut the painted paper in half so that you have two 5"x8" (approximately) pieces.
• Starting at the 5" side, fold paper up accordion style. Repeat for the second painted paper.
• Stretch the paper out. With the clothespin laying on the table, insert the 5" side of the paper, painted side facing up, into the clothespin's slot.
• Gather the paper up into the slot by pulling and pushing the paper a little at a time. Spread the wings out and shape them.
• Glue on the googly eyes.
• Cut the pipe cleaner in half. Wrap it around the neck of the clothespin so that the open ends are in the back.
• Twist it closed around the neck.
• Bend the two ends up so that the stick up behind the head. Trim to desired length for your antennae.