These calming coffee filter butterflies are a really fun craft which combines a simple mindful art activity and an easy craft project. Kids will love using the water to create beautiful patterns in the coffee filters. My son and I both really enjoyed this, the surprise of how each coffee filter would turn out kept us returning to make another!
Related Post: 25 Calming Crafts for Kids
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What Makes this a Calming Craft?
Watching the markers mxi with water can be a great activity to help kids practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged in the moment, without judgment or distraction.
When kids watch the water and colour mix, they can focus on the colours, the way the paint moves on the paper, and the way the colours interact with one another.
Related Post: Calm Anxiety with Butterfly Breaths
Making Mindful Watercolour Art
This kind of focus can help kids develop their attention and concentration skills, which can be useful in all areas of life. Additionally, this creative project can be a calming and relaxing experience, which can help kids manage stress and anxiety.
Also try out my Paper Butterfly’s – Mindful Movement Craft for Kids
Ready to give it a try? Here’s what you will need:
Supplies to Make Calming Coffee Filter Butterflies
- Water
- Markers Pens
- Pipettes
- Coffee Filters
- Dolly Wooden Pegs
- Pipe Cleaners
- Kitchen Roll / tray (Optional)
- Hair Dryer (Optional)
How to Make a Calming Coffee Filter Butterfly:
Step 1: Coffed Filter Art
The first step is to create your coffee filter art. Simply take a pack of marker pens and create a pattern on the dry coffee filter. Use a pipette to then drop water on to the coffee filter.
Watch in amazement as all the colours spread and create beautiful patterns. You can leave to dry naturally or I used my hairdryer to dry them quickly.
Step 2: Time to Make our Butterfly Body
While your coffee filters are drying, its time to make your butterfly body. Get a wooden peg and use the coloured markers to draw a butterfly face and decorate the body. You can also add a pipe cleaner for antenna.
Step 3: It’s Time to Fly
Next its time to assemble your butterfly. Scrunch your coffee filter in the middle. Then push it through the middle of the wooden peg.
Repeat until you have made as many butterflies as you like! Check out our post on Instagram.
We used the peg butterfly’s to decorate my son’s calm corner in his bedroom alongside the Butterfly poster from my Butterfly Breaths activity. They would also look fabulous as a board display in a classroom and could be made over a couple of sessions.
P.S – You can also find a free printable Butterfly Breaths colouring page as a follow on activity here.
I hope you enjoy making these calming coffee filter butterfly’s with your children. Take Care Emma x
