Stained Glass Butterfly Art ~ Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! ~ Once Upon a Book

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! 

 

Book Summary: Pretty ladybugs, fluttering butterflies, creepy daddy longlegs, and roly-poly bugs are some of the familiar creatures featured in this whimsically illustrated insect album. Complete with an "actual size" chart and bug-o-meter listing fun facts about each bug, Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! will inform and entertain curious little bug lovers everywhere.

Stained Glass Butterfly Art

Materials:

• Clear Contact Paper
• Construction Paper
• Scissors
• Marker
• Tissue Paper

Directions:
Fold the paper into fourths (in half, then in half again).

Draw a curve (similar to making paper hearts). Make sure to keep the folded corner inside the shape like the picture below. If you don't, this strategic cut won't work.

Cut along the line.

About an inch or so in, make another line on the inside of the shape. Make sure you don't cut the corner off.

Cut along the line.

Open.

Measure a piece of the contact paper larger than the butterfly shape. Carefully peel the paper off the clear contact paper. Lay the contact paper sticky side up on the table. To keep it from moving all over the place and getting crumpled by little hands, turn an inch under on the sides and stick it to the table. Carefully place the butterfly outline on the sticky contact paper.

Cut pieces of tissue paper or let your tot practice cutting. We chose to practice cutting. I cut strips of tissue paper and let my son cut the strips.

Have your tot place the small pieces of tissue paper on the sticky contact paper. No glue needed!

Encouraged them to keep going until they have filled the entire space. It's alright if the tissue overlaps.

Fold a piece of paper (about 4 inches wide) in half. Draw half of a butterfly body.

Cut along the line and open.

Place the butterfly body in the center of the wings. Allow your tot to draw a face and antennas.

Cut another piece of contact paper large enough to cover the entire butterfly. Carefully peel the paper backing and place on top. Cut around the edges. Display on a window that gets some sunlight.

Concepts to Discuss:

• I know it would be tempting to prep this activity ahead of time, but know that cutting the wings is a perfect time to discuss symmetry and let them be amazed. Don't miss this opportunity!
• While my son was placing the tissue paper on the wings, I reminded him of a fact we learned about butterflies in the beautifully illustrated book, A Butterfly Is Patient. Butterfly wings are made up of little scales (similar to the shingles on a roof). The tissue paper we placed on the wings illustrated this butterfly fact perfectly.

Be sure to check out the other activities to go with Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!