Today I’m sharing this super quick and easy sponge butterfly printing art idea, suitable for kids of all ages (kids at heart included!)

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Butterfly crafts are one of my favourite things. I first came up with this idea when my girls were preschoolers to create cards and wrapping paper for mothers day.

Of course, butterfly prints are beautiful for a regular art activity too, so today we are revisiting the idea to make a simple picture for our wall. 

This activity is great for kids of any age – not just preschoolers! You could talk about symmetry and make different patterns on the wings. Our Butterfly Squish Art with printable butterfly-shaped templates is another way to do this.

This fun and easy stamping technique uses only paint, sponges and hair elastics, plus paper or your chosen print surface. 

Butterfly printing with sponges

You will need:

• Paint (I’ve used acrylic but poster paint will also be fine)
• Kitchen sponges – 1 per butterfly design
• Hair elastics – 1 per butterfly
• Paper

How to:

1. Scrunch sponge and tie in the centre with a hair elastic
2. Squirt paint in assorted colours directly onto one side of the butterfly
3. Fold and squish together creating a symmetrical pattern
4. Optional – add some extra dots of paint for decorative patterns (I’ve used a cotton bud)
5. Print the side covered in paint onto paper
6. Paint in the detail of a body and antennae (optional)

And that’s all there is to it!

I told you it was easy!

More butterfly art and craft ideas:

• Create some gorgeous craft stick butterflies using a ‘god’s eye’ weaving technique
• Here’s another simple and effective symmetrical butterfly art idea
• Create a colourful paper butterfly wand and tiara with our printable template
• Make a DIY butterfly pinata
• Make some sparkly glitter peg butterflies