This easy painting project for kids teaches the concept of symmetry and introduces the anatomy of butterflies!
Here’s a captivating technique that can turn a simple piece of paper into a canvas of wonder—symmetrical butterfly paintings.
This art project for kids involves folding, painting, and unfolding to reveal a symmetrical painting of a butterfly. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to teach children the anatomy of the butterfly.
Here’s how we created these Symmetrical Butterfly Paintings.
Supplies:
- Sheet of construction paper
- Washable paint (I recommend black to create contrast)
- Paint brush
- Placemat (optional, but recommended)
Directions:
- Fold your sheet of paper in half. Folding the paper in half the hamburger way works best.
- Paint parts of your butterfly onto one half of the paper. Since paint dries quickly, it works best if you paint one section – like the head, thorax, or abdomen – one at a time.
- When you are done painting, press the two sides of the paper together and rub firmly.
- Unfold the paper. You should be left with a symmetrical design.
- Continue painting, folding, and pressing to create your butterfly. Consider painting a head, thorax, abdomen, wings, legs, and antennae.
- When your paint has dried, display your symmetrical butterfly painting!
Integrating art into other subjects increases student engagement, improves critical thinking skills, and prepares children for real life because it more accurately depicts real scenarios.
If you are looking for another art project that integrates well with math, check out these Botanical Ice Suncatchers.
And if you are looking for another painting to teach symmetry, check out this blog post on creating Symmetrical Heart Paintings. It uses the same technique used for Symmetrical Butterfly Paintings.
Happy creating, friends!