Easy to Make Recycled Magazine Butterflies an Easy Craft

This fun and easy craft can be made with materials you likely already have on hand

Are you searching for a fun and easy craft project that's perfect for kids? Our Recycled Magazine Butterflies are a wonderful choice not only for Mother's Day but for any time of the year. These vibrant creations are an excellent way to engage kids in an eco-friendly activity, making them a standout project for Earth Day and beyond.

These butterflies, crafted from old magazines and simple craft supplies you probably already have at home, are not only beautiful but also environmentally conscious. They make a delightful decoration and a heartfelt gift that moms will treasure long after Mother's Day has passed.

We'll guide you through the easy steps to create your own recycled magazine butterflies and offer creative ideas for displaying them. Whether you’re looking to add a touch of handmade charm to your home or searching for a meaningful gift, these butterflies are perfect for any occasion.

Ideal for Earth Day activities, a fun Mother's Day gift, or simply a creative day of crafting, these magazine butterflies will brighten any room and bring smiles to faces.

Part I: Recycled Magazine Butterflies

Supplies:

Magazines / Catalogs
Scissors
Yarn

Directions:

Prepare your paper by cutting magazine pages into squares. We used 3.5" squares for upper wings and 3" squares for lower wings.
For a sharper look, keep the square intact. To soften the look, round the squares by trimming off the corners. Refer to the image below. This is great scissor cutting practice for small kids!

3. Start folding. We used two different folding methods to create our butterflies- a straight accordion fold and a diagonal accordion fold. Refer to the image below to visualize these methods. These are simple enough for children to do!

Macaroni KID Tip: Mix and match techniques to create a variety of designs

4. After the papers have been folded like an accordion, fold one more time in the center to shape the upper or lower set of wings.

5. Once you have a set of both upper and lower wings, attach them together with a piece of yarn. If you make the knot on the top of the top wings, the yarn will look like antennae once it is snipped.

Butterfly Fun Fact: Did you know that there are about 17,500 species of butterflies in the world? So play around with colors, sizes, and folding techniques to create your own distinct butterflies.

Part II: Hanging Support for your butterflies

Supplies:

Stick
String - fishing line, thread, or yarn will work
Nail

Directions:

Tie string at various lengths from the butterflies to the stick.
Once you get a feel for the size, find a suitable place in your home to hang the artwork. Secure a nail into the wall at a point higher than where the artwork will be displayed.
Tie a string to both ends of the stick to form a triangle when the center of the string is balanced on the nail.