Flying paper butterflies is a fun, mindful movement craft for kids. This easy craft encourages children to take flight and move their bodies, as well as just relaxing and enjoying creative downtime. Kids can take their butterfly into nature, the play ground or even just around the house!
{Related Post: Rainbow Star Wand: Mindful Movement Craft for Kids}
Pin this Mindful Movement Craft for Kids for Later
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Inspired by our trip to Dunedin and our visit to the butterfly house at the Museum. We created these easy flying butterflies. It was the most amazing experience watching the butterfly’s float about and getting to see them up close. If you’d like to see more, take a peek at my reel from the day .
Just being creative and making paper butterfly’s alone is such a wonderful calming activity for kids, but I love to gently weave in some well being skills. In this activity my focus was on encouraging my son to become aware of his body as he flew his butterfly around. You can also combine my butterfly breaths mindful breathing activity with this craft and add a positivity pause. Taking in a breath and noticing all the good feelings you are experiencing.
Prompting Kids to Move Mindfully Through Play
After you have finished the butterfly craft it’s time to take flight. Me and my son headed on a trip to the local forest so we could run free, but even a small space works for this activity. Once we arrived I let him take the lead as we weaved between the trees. Making up stories as we played butterfly hide and seek.
I weaved in a few, subtle prompts to encourage my son to notice his body and movement, giving him an opportunity to notice any sensations or changes. The skills of noticing our body signals is an important one that can help us to develop our awareness of emotions and feelings. Kids and adults can often spend a lot of time in their thoughts, so shifting our attention to the body is an important mindfulness skill.
Here is a list of mindful movement ideas that you could try:
- Fly your butterfly high – Can you feel your arms stretch? Do they feel heavy after a while?
- Fly your butterfly low – Crouch low, can you feel you legs bend? How does it feel?
- Twirl your butterfly around – Did you get dizzy?
- Slowly walk with your butterfly – Notice your footsteps. Can you hear anything?
- Zoom fast with your butterfly – Do you feel the air on your face or hands? Do they tingle?
- How does it feel to fly your butterfly?
- Notice all the good feelings in your body and breathe! {The more we practice to pause and take in the good, the more we train our brains to notice! Filling the positivity bank}
Here’s what you’ll need to make this mindful movement craft for kids:
- A4 Sheet of Paper
- Colouring pencils / crayons
- Tape
- Paper Straws
- Butterfly Template – This is in my free resource library.
- Optional – Butterfly Breaths Activity
Time needed: 10 minutes
Lets get Started! How to Make a Mindful Movement Butterfly Craft:
- Cut out your butterfly.
Either cut out the butterfly template in my free resource library or hand draw a butterfly outline.
- Decorate your Butterfly.
Use colouring crayons to decorate your butterfly with patterns.
- Stick your Butterfly
Use a glue stick to stick the butterfly to a paper straw.
- Move your Butterfly.
Move around and take your butterfly on a journey!
If you try this activity out I would love to hear! Tag us on Instagram at @calmahoykids
More Mindful Movement
If you love the idea of fun mindful movement activities for your kids, below are three of my favourite finds on Etsy. Each one encourages children to play and move, you can simply add in the prompts to help them notice their bodies and how good it feels!
Get Kids to Move with Ribbons
A Ribbon Wand – Just pop on a tune or head out side and just enjoy the magic of a ribbon wand. Kids love them. So great for mindfulness and watching the swirly, whirly ribbons do their thing. We made one with crepe paper which was great fun, but I love the ribbon ones too! These ones from Honey Pot Treasures are so cute!
Get Kids to Move with Bubbles
A Giant Bubble Wand – I seriously can’t rate this activity enough. This is one for the whole family. My husband and I just could not get enough of giant bubbles, they are mesmerizing. Even once our son was in bed we were out in the garden seeing who could make the biggest. We also took it down the beach and it made all the dogs so happy! Check out this awesome giant bubble wands from The Bubble Connection.
Get kids to Move with a Little Magic
A Magic Wand – Casting magical spells is so much fun and a great way to encourage movement. get those arms waving and create a little magic! Also check out the nature broom we made at Halloween, its still going strong in our mud kitchen and has encouraged a lot of zooming.
How beautiful is this children’s faery wand from Neptunes Rings
If you would like to practice more creative, calming activities with your children at home or in the classroom. I have lots to choose from in my store or head over to my freebie library for some free printables!
{Find lots of fun mindfulness and breathing activities in either my Etsy or Teachers Pay Teachers Store}
I hope you enjoy making this mindful movement craft with your kids, we really did love getting out and flying our butterflies. A lovely way to connect through creativity, movement and a little calm! Take Care Emma x
