Scissors with a grown-up. Use child scissors with rounded tips and cut while seated at a table. If a child is not ready yet, an adult cuts while the child colors and assembles.
Print
Choose A4 or US Letter. Print at 100%, with scaling off. Ordinary printer paper works.
Cut
Color black-and-white sheets first. Cut outer borders; follow dashed lines on the practice paths.
Make it yours
Arrange pieces before gluing. Try a new arrangement or tell a story about your creation.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Lay the joined wings flat, glue the body across their center, then add the oval medallion to the body. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Match the broad upper wings and smaller lower wings. Tuck all four roots beneath the body and glue the body over the joins. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Place the heart-patterned wing halves on either side. Glue their narrow edges beneath the body; the hearts stay inside the wings. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Match the two scalloped fan wings at equal heights. Glue their inner edges behind the body; keep the fan lines intact. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Cut the butterfly base and six tiles. Use two circle tiles above and two heart tiles below as in the reference; the remaining two are alternatives for your own pattern or backing scene. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Glue the butterfly’s middle to the top of the bookmark strip. Overlap the leaf stem onto one side of the strip and keep the lower strip flat. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Cut the band flat. With adult help, wrap it loosely around a finger and glue the ends in overlap. Attach the butterfly to its front and dry it off the finger. It must slide off easily. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Glue the flower over the top of the stem with attached leaves. Add the whole butterfly above the flower center with a small overlap at its lower body. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Place the butterfly on the leaf. Fold the broad strip into a shallow zigzag and glue its ends behind the leaf and body for a raised effect, or keep the scene flat on backing paper. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Glue the leaf to backing paper, add the whole caterpillar along it, then the butterfly above. Tell a story about change; this is not a complete life-cycle diagram. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Pair the smooth upper wings and scalloped lower wings by their patterns. Set each pair at equal heights and cover their roots with the body. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Cut the three butterflies and broad bar. An adult tapes three short threads to the bar and backs of the butterfly bodies. The circles mark positions; holes are not required. Hang for display with adult help. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Join the two orange-and-black wing halves beneath the dark body. Align the upper lobes and keep the cream spots intact. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Place the two large blue wings above and two smaller wings below. Glue their roots beneath the brown body; the blue saddle is printed on the body. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Place the yellow wing halves beneath the striped body. Glue one red patch to each lower wing, matching the rounded lobes. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Arrange two green upper wings and two turquoise lower wings. Glue all four roots under the green body with both eyespots facing outward. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Cut the purple base, four orange ovals and two pink patches. Add one orange oval to each wing as in the reference. Pink patches are optional alternatives for your own lower-wing pattern. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Glue the joined ribbon behind the bottom of the round meadow badge. Add the whole coral butterfly to the front, keeping the meadow border visible. Use as a paper decoration. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Cut the three whole butterflies with top tabs. Fold each tab over a cord and glue to its own back, leaving space between figures. The example shows one unfolded tab; an adult hangs the garland. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Glue the tulip bloom over the broad green stem with leaves. Add the butterfly above the flower with a small overlap at its lower body. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Glue the moon on backing paper, add the whole moth across its lower curve and place the star above. Keep the printed wing patterns intact. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Fold the broad pocket tabs inward along the printed joins. Glue side and bottom tabs to backing paper, leaving the top open. Fold top corner tabs behind the backing. Add the flower to the front and slip the butterfly into the pocket. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Glue the lily pad to backing paper, add the water lily at its front and place the butterfly behind the flower. Keep the face and flower center visible. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
Assembly example: The small boxed example shows the finished craft. Do not cut it out.
Cut the outer contours; leave the boxed example on the page. Arrange the caterpillar, egg leaf and butterfly on the round base as in the reference. Glue their broad centers. Tell a story; the pupa stage is not included on this sheet. Check that the joins hold and the face is clear; reposition a part before the glue dries if it hides another.
Check: Can you guide the scissors comfortably? If it is difficult, an adult can shorten a strip, cut a tricky curve or offer straight paths. Pieces should be fully separated and arranged as intended before gluing.
How to make a paper butterfly
Choose one manageable project
Start with the butterfly that has a joined pair of wings: the child cuts one broad silhouette, then places the body on top. Four separate wings require more attention; find the upper and lower pairs before you begin. A mosaic offers a different challenge: arrange decoration on an intact butterfly base. A bookmark or finger puppet gives the finished craft a purpose in play. Choose one project by the child’s confidence with scissors. If a long outline becomes tiring, an adult can cut the base while the child handles the decoration.
Prepare the paper and color first
Gather paper, child scissors, a glue stick and coloring pencils for the black-and-white sheets. Match the PDF to your printer paper, A4 or US Letter, and print at 100%. Print one sheet first and check that every outline is visible. Ordinary paper works for a collage; heavier paper helps a bookmark stay firm if your printer accepts it. Color before cutting, while the page supports the antennae and wing edges. Circles, veins and markings inside the artwork are decoration. Keep them intact rather than cutting holes through the wings.
Turn the paper around curves
An adult can first separate the page into areas around the pieces, leaving a white border. This frees space for turning. Follow the solid outside outline with short cuts and keep the supporting hand away from the blades. Pause at the inward curve between the wings, rotate the paper and continue from a comfortable direction. Avoid pulling on an antenna. The small boxed picture shows the assembly and stays on the page. If an edge is nicked, reinforce its back with tape or mount the figure on backing paper.
Try the wing arrangement before gluing
Lay the pieces beside the reference. For an assembled butterfly, place the upper wings higher and the lower wings below them; tuck their narrow roots beneath the body. The overlap gives the join somewhere to hold. Glue the wings to backing paper first, then place the body over their joins. For a mosaic, test the broad patches on the wings and keep the face visible. Check that neighboring edges have room. If one wing sits too high, lift it before the glue dries and align it with the body. Attach a bookmark butterfly by its middle to the top of the strip.
Invent your own butterfly garden
For an independent composition, choose a butterfly and two broad elements, such as a flower and a leaf. Before gluing, try two arrangements: the butterfly can rest on the flower or fly above it. Leave open space so the wings remain easy to see. Draw a background on separate paper. The reference helps with assembly, while the child chooses the story. Ask them to explain their wing pattern and the butterfly’s position. Use the additional whole-character sheets for a shared garden collage. Next time, try a different construction: decorate a complete silhouette with patches instead of joining separate wings.
Why do the wings come loose?
An edge-to-edge join is weak. Move the wing root beneath the body and put a little glue on the overlap. Add a paper backing for a craft that will be handled in play. A finger band should slide off easily; avoid tightening the strip around the finger.
These projects are intended roughly for ages 4–8 with adult help. Start with straight paths and squares. Once a straight cut feels comfortable, try corners, then circles and gentle curves. Age is a guide: choose a manageable task and take breaks.
You need paper, child scissors, coloring pencils and a glue stick for assembly crafts. Keep fingers away from the blades and cut while seated at a table. If a child is not ready for scissors, an adult can cut while the child colors and arranges.
Printing and activity questions
Are the templates really free?
Yes. All templates are downloadable without an account or email address. Use them at home or in class; do not resell the files.
Should I choose A4 or Letter?
Match your printer paper: A4 is 210 × 297 mm; US Letter is 8.5 × 11 inches. Print at 100%. Each PDF contains one page.
Which lines should we cut?
On practice paths, cut dashed lines from the edge or starting dot. On crafts, cut the solid outer border of each piece. Do not cut out the small boxed assembly example.
What if the paper keeps tearing?
Ask an adult to check that the scissors cut the paper. Try a shorter strip and smaller motions. Stop before a corner and turn the paper with the supporting hand.
Whole butterflies for a garden collage
Three additional sheets each contain nine different characters: colorful meadow friends, tropical wing patterns and black-and-white butterflies to color. These are whole figures, with no separate wings or assembly pieces. They supplement the main 24 projects.
Color the black-and-white sheet first. An adult can separate the page into nine areas. Cut each character’s outer dashed outline, keeping its antennae, wings and patterns inside the silhouette. Stop and rotate the paper before a narrow turn. Reinforce an accidental nick with a little tape on the back. Try two arrangements on backing paper before gluing and check that no character covers another’s face. Choose three figures for a short session and save the others for later.
Color the black-and-white figures before cutting. Cut each of the nine whole butterflies along its own outer dashed border, keeping the white halo around antennae and wings. An adult can separate the sheet into nine areas first. Try two garden arrangements on backing paper before gluing. Check that every wing is visible; repair a nick with tape on the back.
Color the black-and-white figures before cutting. Cut each of the nine whole butterflies along its own outer dashed border, keeping the white halo around antennae and wings. An adult can separate the sheet into nine areas first. Try two garden arrangements on backing paper before gluing. Check that every wing is visible; repair a nick with tape on the back.
Color the black-and-white figures before cutting. Cut each of the nine whole butterflies along its own outer dashed border, keeping the white halo around antennae and wings. An adult can separate the sheet into nine areas first. Try two garden arrangements on backing paper before gluing. Check that every wing is visible; repair a nick with tape on the back.
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