These projects will take you through the entire life cycle, from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Be sure to explain the entire process to your child. Older children can comprehend the details more easily, but all children can appreciate the wonder.

Step-by-Step:

• Draw a butterfly shape with marker onto the front of clear contact paper. You can use a pattern, but it is more fun to create an original shape.
• Peel off the back of the contact paper and lay it on the table sticky side up. (Don't cut the butterfly outline yet).
• Cut tissue paper into 2-inch squares. Cut, tear, or crumple the small pieces and press them onto contact paper. Decorate interior of butterfly, leaving as much or as little space clear as desired.
• Lay another piece of contact paper on top, placing the sticky sides together so the tissue is "sandwiched" in between.
• Cut out along your predetermined outline.
• Make a hole at the top of the butterfly and insert yarn to hang your masterpiece. Glue on pipe cleaners as feelers.
• Trim with pipe cleaners to finish off.
• These butterflies look beautiful hanging in windows as sun catchers and lend themselves to discussions of light, shadow, transparency, translucency, opaqueness, and color.