Spring Butterfly Flower Print-Making for Kids

I may have had my share of spring crafts that look like, are shaped like or in some way resemble flowers. That said, it didn’t really stop me from using the magnolia blooms in my front yard as inspiration this time. But, why make yet another flower when I can use the flower to make something else? A butterfly perhaps?

There’s really no escaping these flowers. They are sort of in my face (literally), the moment I walk out the door. Last year there was a sudden drop in the temperature. It took the blooms out overnight. This year the weather has been constant enough to keep them in the trees for a bit longer. My son is dreading the final fall of the flowers – it’s his job to rake up the blanket of petals.

Print-making is an easy art activity that kids as young as 3 or 4 can try (take a look at our Andy Warhol inspired pop art prints). With some of the flowers beginning to fall, we gathered a few to make these butterfly paint prints…

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        A flower—It doesn’t have to be the same kind that I used. Anything with petals will do. You can even use a fake flower if it’s not springtime where you are.

·        Styrofoam—You can buy sheets of the stuff at the craft store. I reused a tray that came with a frozen pizza. You can also find similar sources to reuse from veggie containers. Don’t use the foam meat trays (I include chicken, pork and fish as meat). These are covered in various bacteria and germs in general.

·        Tempera paint

·        A pencil

·        A paintbrush

·        Paper

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Place a flower petal onto the styrofoam. Trace it with the pencil, pressing down into the foam. Your child needs to experiment with how much pressure she uses. Too little and the printing process won’t work. Too much and she’ll punch through. Don’t worry if the pencil color shows through, it won’t be noticeable when she paints it.

2.     Move the petal, and trace it four more times to make butterfly wings. If the lines aren’t deep enough, your child can retrace them now.

3.     Paint a layer of tempera over the design.

4.     Press the printing plate down onto a piece of paper. Rub the back and pat it down gently.

5.     Pull the foam plate from the paper to reveal the print.

 

6.     Use the flower (or the stem) to paint on a face and a design.

7.     Wipe the paint clean and start over to make a new butterfly flower print. Your child can add a few colors to make a rainbow print. She can also use a stem the remove some of the paint, creating a design where the paper shows through.

Are you looking for more spring crafts for kids? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

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