This paper roll butterfly craft is such a bright and cheerful project for spring and summer. With just a bit of paint and creativity, you can transform a simple paper roll into the prettiest butterfly. Simply add some bold colours and a fuzzy pipe cleaner body and this easy butterfly craft is ready to go!
These toilet paper roll butterflies are fun for kids of all ages, classrooms, or an afternoon of crafting at home. They’re simple and you only need minimal supplies. They’re also great for practicing painting and cutting skills, and they make such cute spring decorations. So grab your favourite colours of paint and get ready to make your own butterfly!
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How to Make a Paper Roll Butterfly
Materials:
- Acrylic paint (2 complementary colours)
- Pipe cleaner (to match paint)
Equipment:
See the craft in action:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Cut a paper roll into a butterfly shape
- To make your butterfly you’ll need 1 toilet paper roll.
- Use your hands to flatten the paper roll.
- Draw a butterfly wing on the paper roll with the top section being a bit bigger and going to the edge of the paper roll.
- Cut out the butterfly wing shape. Keep the center of the butterfly together (don’t cut it).
- If your wing went to the edge of the paper roll cut it apart so there are 2 separate wings.
- Here’s what your butterfly should look like. Fold the center of the butterfly down so the wings come up and out.
Step 3: Paint your butterfly
- We’re adding an ombre look to our butterflies. To do this, add 2 shades or colours of paint to the butterfly, 1 at the top and 1 at the bottom.
- Use a fan brush to spread the paint out from the center of the butterfly.
- Continue, brushing lightly so that the colours combine in the middle.You can always add a bit more of each colour to their respective parts of the butterfly to emphasize the colour difference.
- Repeat on the other half of the butterfly and allow to dry.
Step 4: Add pipe cleaner antennae
- Cut a pipe cleaner in half so that you have a 6 inch piece. Then fold it in half.
- Slide the pipe cleaner around the body so the fold is at the bottom. Twist the ends at the top to create the antennae.
- Your paper roll butterfly is complete!
- Have fun making butterflies in all your favourite colour combinations. The bright colours are so cheerful, perfect for spring and summer!
Helpful Tips:
- Make a colourful ombre butterfly with 2 complementary colours of paint, or simply choose 1 shade for your butterfly. Either way, the butterflies turn out bright and cheerful!
- Gently bending the wings upward gives your butterfly more life and dimension. This simple step helps make the finished craft look more playful and realistic.
What type of paper roll do I need to make this butterfly craft?
We used recycled toilet paper rolls to make our butterflies, and they work perfectly for this craft. If you don’t have any saved in your craft stash, you can also buy cardboard craft tubes online.
Paper towel rolls and wrapping paper rolls will work too. Just cut them down to size first. A tube that’s about 4 inches long is a good size for this paper roll butterfly craft.
How can I decorate my toilet paper roll butterfly?
We had fun experimenting with colour and trying different ombre paint effects on our butterflies. The pipe cleaners add a fun bit of texture, and you can choose colours that either match the wings or stand out with a bright contrast.
If you want to get even more creative, try adding patterns to the wings with a dotting tool or paint markers. You can also decorate your toilet paper roll butterfly with rhinestone stickers for a little extra sparkle and shine.
Can I use the paper roll as the center of my butterfly craft?
Yes, definitely! There are a lot of ways you can make a paper roll butterfly, and we have 2 other butterfly craft ideas that use the paper roll as the middle of the butterfly.
If you want to create a realistic style of butterfly, check out our paper roll monarch butterflies!
And if you feel like celebrating spring with flowers, try out a floral paper roll butterfly. They’re so pretty!
If you’re looking for an easy recycled craft idea, this paper roll butterfly is a fun one to try! It’s bright, creative, and a lovely way to turn a simple paper roll into a colourful spring or summer decoration.
Kids will have fun painting the wings, adding the pipe cleaner body, and giving each butterfly its own unique look. Once you make one, you’ll want to create a whole flutter of them in different colours!
Here’s even more butterfly craft ideas:
Plastic Bottle Butterfly Craft
Now available
Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
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