Butterfly Placemat

• Provide each child with a piece of 12-inch by 18-inch paper, two large triangle cutouts and dozens of small triangles that measure two inches or smaller. Help the children to cut out an oval shape for the butterfly's body and glue it on the large piece of paper vertically and in the center. Show the children a picture of a butterly and ask them how the triangles should be attached to the body to make them look like wings. Allow them to experiment with the placement of the two large triangles before gluing them down. Encourage them to decorate the butterfly wings with the smaller triangles. When the glue has dried, laminate the placemats for use at home or at school during snack time.
  
  

Origami Butterfly

• Most origami is beyond the skills of preschoolers, but you can teach preschoolers to make a very simple butterfly. Give each child a 6-inch square of colorful origami paper. Have them fold the piece of paper in half across the diagonal to make a triangle. Fold the paper in half one more time and it will look like a butterfly with two wings. Allow the kids to decorate their origami butterflies and fly them around the room by flapping the triangle wings.
  
  

Straw Butterflies

• Some children, especially those with sensory disorders, learn best by manipulating objects. Give each child three drinking straws and ask them if they can make a triangle. After they do, give them three more drinking straws to make another triangle. On a large piece of contruction paper, have them draw a body for a butterfly and then glue the straw triangles onto the butterfly. You can cut additional drinking straws shorter to make antennae to glue on top of their heads.
  
  

Salt Dough Butterflies

• Create salt dough by combining one cup of fine salt with one cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water. Knead the dough and add more water if it's crumbly. Roll the dough out on a flat surface with a rolling pin. Cut out the dough with triangle cookie cutters. Use the dough scraps to make little worm-shaped bodies for the butterflies. Create butterflies by sticking two triangles to a worm-shaped body. Put a little water at the joints to help them stick together better. Arrange the triangles on a cookie sheet and let them dry overnight. The following day, allow the children to paint their butterflies with tempera paints.