Author: If you are looking for a simple craft that fills your home with color and sunshine, this butterfly suncatcher is such a fun one to try. Kids love seeing their artwork glow in the light, and the finished butterfly looks almost like stained glass when the sun shines through it.
This easy butterfly craft uses bright tissue paper to create a colorful stained glass effect. It is a wonderful spring activity and a great way to decorate windows, classrooms, or even a sunny garden space. Younger children enjoy tearing and arranging the paper pieces, while older kids can explore patterns and color combinations.
The best part is that this butterfly suncatcher craft uses simple supplies you probably already have at home.
Materials for your Butterfly Suncatcher
For this butterfly suncatcher craft you will need just a few basic materials that you probably already have in your craft stash, or you can easily pick up online at amazon or in any craft store. I’ve included the Amazon links here to make it easy if you need to replenish your supplies.
Tissue paper
Contact paper or clear tape
Scissors
Construction paper
The tissue paper is what gives the craft its beautiful stained glass look when sunlight shines through the butterfly wings.
We have a free printable butterfly template to make this craft easier and you can download that right here in this blog post. It’s towards the end of this blog post under the heading download PDF.
How to Make the Butterfly Suncatcher
Start by cutting out the butterfly template. If you printed the template on regular paper, you can trace it onto construction paper first and then cut it out to create the butterfly frame.
Place a sheet of contact paper behind the butterfly frame with the sticky side facing up. This will hold the tissue paper pieces in place.
Next, cut small squares or shapes from the tissue paper. They do not need to be perfect. In fact, a mix of different sizes makes the finished butterfly look even more like colorful stained glass.
Now comes the fun part. Let kids start adding their tissue paper pieces onto the sticky surface. They can overlap colors, mix bright shades, and cover the entire butterfly wing area. As the paper layers build up, the butterfly suncatcher begins to look like glowing glass.
Once the whole butterfly is filled with tissue paper, if you like you can place another piece of contact paper over the top to seal everything in place. This step is optional, if it’s fully covered with the tissue it will be fine but the extra layer makes it more durable.
Finally, trim away any excess contact paper around the edges. Your butterfly suncatcher is now ready to hang in a sunny window where the light can shine through the colorful wings.
Here’s another version you can make with younger kids, which they can do as a free flow activity. By sticking it up on the window they can make it, leave it and come back to it to finish over however long they need.
Display Your Butterfly Suncatcher
When sunlight hits the tissue paper, the butterfly glows just like a tiny piece of stained glass art. Hang it in a window, near a bright doorway, or anywhere the sun can shine through it.
Kids love seeing their craft come to life in the light, and it is a fun way to add handmade decorations to your home during spring.
These also make sweet handmade gifts for grandparents or friends, especially when kids pick their favorite color combinations.
Download the Butterfly Template PDF
To make this craft easy for families and classrooms, we created a butterfly template you can print and use right away.
Simply download the free template, print it on regular paper, and use it as a guide to cut out your butterfly shape. The template helps create the classic butterfly outline so the colorful tissue paper really stands out like a stained glass design.
This printable also makes the craft quick to prepare if you are doing it with a group of kids.
More Suncatcher Crafts
Suncatcher crafts are always a favorite because they are simple to make and look beautiful once they are finished. Kids enjoy watching how the colors change when sunlight shines through their creations.
You can explore lots of other designs using tissue paper and contact paper. Flowers, rainbows, and hearts all work wonderfully as suncatchers, and each one brings bright color to your windows.
More Spring Crafts for Kids
Spring is a wonderful time for crafting with kids. As the weather warms up and flowers begin to bloom, crafts inspired by butterflies, gardens, and nature are perfect seasonal activities.
Spring crafts are a great way for children to explore creativity while celebrating the colorful world around them. From paper flowers to garden-themed projects, there are so many fun ideas to try together.
- Easy Nature Bee Craft
- Easy Pot of Gold Craft for St. Patrick’s Day (With Free Template)
- He Is Risen Craft for Kids this Easter
- Mother’s Day Flower Pot Gift
If you try this butterfly suncatcher craft, we would love to see it. Share your colorful butterfly creations and spread the inspiration by sharing this blog post with friends and family who enjoy easy crafts for kids.
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