Make a handprint butterfly with your child for a fun, open-ended art project that can be a lovely keepsake.
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Handprint art projects are always tons of fun and a little bit messy. We tested a few different techniques to find the best way to make a handprint butterfly using your child’s hands.
Creating handprint butterfly art is a fun activity when you’re learning about bugs and nature.
Butterflies come in just about every color. Their wings are patterned with stripes, spots, and swirls that are symmetrical. For this art activity, we applied paint to one side, then folded the paper to apply it to the other side in a perfect mirror.
Art tips
- Be prepared for mess. Dress your child in something that won’t be ruined by paint. Cover your table (a dollar store plastic tablecloth works great). And choose a kid-friendly paint that’s washable, just in case.
- Read books about butterflies or watch the ones in your backyard for inspiration. Talk about all the colors you see and which ones you want to use for your art project.
- Don’t worry too much about how your child’s art looks. This is an activity that’s all about process–learning by experience rather than creating a perfect finished picture.
- Experiment! We have a simple tutorial below, but let your child explore however they like. Apply the paint in different amounts, try to create patterns, or use different tools.
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How to make a handprint butterfly
Supplies
- mixed media paper
- pencil
- craft paint
- paint brushes in various sizes and textures
Instructions
1. Crease the paper.
Choose where you want the butterfly on your paper. Make sure both handprints will fit beside it. Crease the paper gently, then line up your child’s hand with their wrist toward the crease and thumb pointed down.
2. Trace both hands.
Trace around the hand, leaving the center open. Repeat with the other hand. We tried fingers spread and closed. Both were interesting and created different shapes.
3. Apply the paint.
Add paint to one side of the butterfly. We experimented with small dots and bigger blobs. The small dots didn’t blend together as much, but the big ones completely covered the handprint.
4. Fold the paper and spread the paint.
Fold the paper in half along the crease, lining up the hands. Gently press the paper to spread the paint. Unfold the paper to reveal the symmetrical butterfly pattern.
If you want to add more paint, you can apply dots and fold again. Leave the paper unfolded to dry completely.
5. Add a body and antennae.
After the wing paint has completely dried, paint a thin stripe of black for a body and 2 small antennae.
Printable instructions
Handprint Butterfly
Materials
- sturdy mixed media paper
- pencil
- craft paint
- paint brushes in various sizes and textures, optional
Instructions
- Crease the paper.
Choose where you want the butterfly on your paper. Make sure both handprints will fit beside it. Crease the paper gently, then line up your child's hand with their wrist toward the crease and thumb pointed down. - Trace both hands.
Trace around the hand, leaving the center open. Repeat with the other hand. We tried fingers spread and closed. Both were interesting and created different shapes. - Apply the paint.
Add paint to one side of the butterfly. We experimented with small dots and bigger blobs. The small dots didn't blend together as much, but the big ones completely covered the handprint. - Fold the paper and spread the paint.
Fold the paper in half along the crease, lining up the hands. Gently press the paper to spread the paint. Unfold the paper to reveal the symmetrical butterfly pattern. If you want to add more paint, you can apply dots and fold again. Leave the paper unfolded to dry completely. - Add a body and antennae.
After the wing paint has completely dried, paint a thin stripe of black for a body and 2 small antennae.
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