Pipe Cleaner Dragonfly

I was inspired to have my girls make dragonflies when I came across a cute dragonfly craft activity while searching the internet. Unfortunately that webpage no longer exists so I can’t link to it. The craft involved supplies that we did not have and also contained pins which I did not want my girls to play with…

pipe cleaner dragonfly

so…we adapted that idea with what we hand on hand…pipe cleaners, markers, and coffee filters!

Yep, that’s all you need (oh, and a little water and scissors) to make these super cute pipe cleaner dragonflies!

Step 1)  Have your kids color with non-permanent, water soluble markers on coffee filters.

Step 2)  Spray the coffee filters with water until the colors bleed.  Don’t spray too much or you’ll dilute out the colors.  If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can sprinkle water onto the coffee filter with your fingers.

Step 3)  Let the coffee filters dry completely.  If your kids are impatient like mine, use a hair dryer to get them to dry quickly!
Step 4)  While the coffee filters are drying, twist three pipe cleaners together to make one pipe cleaner.  We used three different colors to add interest.

 

Step 5)  Once the coffee filters are dry, accordion/fan fold them.

Step 6)  Slip the accordion folded coffee filter under one of the pipe cleaners then twist the coffee filter so that you can open it up like wings.

Step 7)  Open the coffee filters like wings and cut them in the middle to separate them into 4 wings.
Step 8)  Round off the corners of the cut edges to make them look more like wings.
Step 9)  Cut a small bit off of another pipe cleaner for the antennas.  Wrap the short end of the body over itself to make a head and hold the antennas in place.

 

Step 10)  Cut what’s left of the antenna pipe cleaner in half.  Tuck them under one of the pipe cleaners like you did with the wings.  Tuck one just above the wings and one just below the wings.Step 11)  Fold 4 feet into the leg pipe cleaners.

Step 12)  Enjoy your dragonflies!

My girls LOVED their dragonflies!  They attempted to make them fly and carried them on their arms just like a real dragonfly would land on it.  They can’t wait till the weather gets to be warmer and they can see real ones again!

Do your kids love dragonflies?

 

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