Have you been studying butterfly life cycles with your students?
I always love this topic, because it’s so cool for kids to see how animals grow to become adults – just like they’re doing.
If you’re looking for a hands-on way to reinforce this concept, this paper plate butterfly life cycle craft is perfect!
With this easy science craft for kids, you can practice fine motor skills, get some artistic practice, and learn a science lesson. Win!
Read on to get the full project instructions and to pick up the printable template you’ll need to make this craft.
Need more ways to teach this to your class? Don’t miss our printable Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing Activity!
Easy Paper Plate Butterfly Life Cycle Craft
To make this easy butterfly life cycle craft, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are used below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)
- Printer (with ink)
- Printer paper
- Child-safe scissors
- Construction paper
- Washable markers
- Pencil
- Craft glue
- Paper plate
- Printable Butterfly Life Cycle Craft Template
To get started, print out the Butterfly Craft Template, which includes the pieces you’ll need to make this project.
Use scissors to cut out the pieces. Then lay them on construction paper and use a pencil to trace each outline.
Cut out those pieces and you’re ready to get to work!
If you’re doing this with several children, you can prepare the body pieces beforehand. Then students can simply assemble the craft on their own.
How to Make the Paper Plate Life Cycle Craft
This butterfly life cycle craft project features four stages: egg, chrysalis, caterpillar, butterfly.
Start by assembling the egg stage.
Glue the leaves onto the branch piece. Then glue the three “eggs” on top.
Now, move on to the chrysalis. Glue the chrysalis pod onto the lower branch, then attach the rounded corner on the left side.
If you like, you can use a marker to add ribbed lines along the right side.
Now it’s time to assemble the caterpillar!
Start by gluing the antennae and legs onto the body pieces.
Then use glue to attach the body pieces together and form the caterpillar.
Add a happy face with a marker.
We can finally make the butterfly!
Glue the wing sections onto the wing template. Then glue the body section in the center of the wing template.
Add a happy face to the butterfly.
Once you’ve assembled all four life cycle stages, it’s time to place them in the right order.
Start by cutting out a piece of construction paper to fit inside the paper plate.
This is a good point to talk with students and ask:
- Which stage is the first in the butterfly life cycle?
- After that, which stage comes next?
Proceed through the entire cycle and, once students have identified the correct order, have them glue the stages onto the plate.
And we’re done!
It’s a craft, a science project, and a fine motor skill strengthener – all in one!
Get the printable project instructions below.
Paper Plate Butterfly Life Cycle Craft for Kids
Learn about how butterflies grow from egg to adult with this fun paper plate butterfly life cycle craft!
Materials
- Printer paper
- Construction paper
- Washable markers
- Pencil
- Craft glue
- Paper plate
Tools
- Printer (with ink)
- Child-safe scissors
Instructions
- Start by printing out the Printable Butterfly Life Cycle Craft Template.
- Cut out the template pieces.
- Trace the pieces onto construction paper.
- Cut out the construction paper pieces.
- Assemble the egg stage: Glue the leaves onto the first branch piece. Add the eggs on the leaf.
- Assemble the chrysalis stage: Glue the chrysalis pod onto the second branch piece. Add the rounded section to the left side.
- Assemble the caterpillar stage: Glue the antennae and legs onto the body circles. Glue the body circles together to form the caterpillar. Use a marker to draw a happy face.
- Assemble the butterfly stage: Glue the wing sections onto the wing template. Glue the body section in the center of the wing template. Use a marker to draw a happy face.
- Cut out a piece of construction paper to fit the center of the paper plate. Glue it down.
- Add the life cycle stages to the paper plate in the following order: butterfly at the top, then egg stage on the right side, caterpillar on the bottom, and chrysalis on the left side.
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