Skip to Content

Coffee Filter Dragonfly Craft

Make summer crafting with kids a breeze with this Coffee Filter Dragonfly! It’s a super fun and simple project that only requires a few basic craft supplies.

Get ready to bring vibrant dragonflies to life by tie dyeing coffee filters with washable markers and using plastic spoons.

This craft is great for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school age children. It’s an excellent way to practice fine motor skills as well as express their artistic creativity!

For more projects like this, don’t miss our entire list of coffee filter crafts for kids.

Woman's hand holding up a coffee filter dragonfly and two more in the background on a gray wood backdrop.

Additional Summer Crafts for Kids

If you’re looking for even more fun and easy summer crafts, here are a few of our favorites:

Who Can Make This Dragonfly Craft?

I adore the simplicity and joy of coffee filter crafts, a delightful activity for kids of all ages.

In just 30 minutes (plus drying time), you can effortlessly create these charming coffee filter dragonflies, with the little ones lending a helping hand.

Close overhead view of finished coffee filter dragonfly with green plastic spoon body and rainbow colored wings laying on gray wood background.

This arts and crafts project is particularly ideal for preschool and kindergarten children, as even toddlers can assist in tie-dying the filters!

The kids are captivated by the mesmerizing blend of colors. For older children, minimal guidance is needed to bring these dragonflies to life.

Benefits of This Coffee Filter Craft

Young children can enhance their fine motor skills and foster creativity by engaging in activities such as coloring the filters, blending colors by squeezing the water bottle, and stringing beads onto chenille stems.

These enjoyable tasks not only promote dexterity but also encourage imaginative expression.

Not only is it a fantastic opportunity to delve into color theory and blending, but this dragonfly craft can also be transformed into an educational experience by researching interesting facts about these fascinating creatures.

You can also use it as part of an insect unit study along with other bug themed activities like this insect dice game.

Pack of green plastic spoons, coffee filters, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, markers, scissors, and hot glue gun on white wood background.

Coffee Filter Dragonfly Supplies:

Here’s everything you need to make a flight of dragonflies!

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a participant in other affiliate programs, we earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

Dragonfly Coffee Filter Craft Tips

For enhanced durability, I highly recommend utilizing a hot glue gun when working on crafts, particularly for decorative purposes. Additionally, it offers the advantage of quicker drying time.

However, if you’re creating these crafts with younger children, it may be wise to consider an alternative to hot glue.

One suggestion is to use this tacky craft glue, which happens to be my personal favorite. Keep in mind that you’ll need to allow for additional drying time with this option.

Once completed, these dragonflies can be hung in windows or used as decorative embellishments atop gifts.

Text at top says Coffee Filter Crafts ebook. Crafts your kids will love to make! More text lists information about product. Image of ebook cover on tablet on the left side.

How to Make Coffee Filter Dragonflies

Lay out and flatten your round coffee filters. Draw random patterns, like circles and stripes with a rainbow of washable marker colors. You will need one coffee filter per dragonfly.

Two rainbow colored coffee filters and markers laying on white wood background.

Place your colored coffee filter papers on a cookie sheet or plastic zip top bag and mist with water to watch the magic as the colors spread and blend!

TIP: Wax or freezer paper will work as well in place of a cookie sheet, but place an old towel underneath to protect your work surface.

Wet colored coffee filter with colors blending, washable markers, and small water spray bottle laying on white wood background.

Set them aside to dry. Depending on the humidity, it will take about 1-2 hours for the filters to air dry. Some readers have suggested using a hair dryer to speed up the drying process.

Glue two wiggly googly eyes to the back of the spoon. (If using tacky glue for the eyes, you may want to save this step for last.)

Next, bend a chenille stem (aka pipe cleaner) in half and wrap around the handle of the spoon.

Three green plastic spoons with googly eyes laying next to each other showing steps of how to attach chenille stem to create antenna for dragonfly.

Then pinch it into a “V” shape and curl both ends to create the antenna. Secure the chenille stem to the spoon with a dab of glue. 

Close up of two dragonfly crafts showing how to add pony beads to end of chenille stem antenna.

Slide plastic pony beads onto the end of each antenna and wrap the chenille stem to secure the beads in place. 

Colored coffee filter folded to demonstrate where to trim it.

Once dry, fold the coffee filter in half and trim to create an oval football shape for the wings. (When unfolded, it looks like a triangle was cut out from each side.)

Rainbow colored coffee filter laid flat, showing circle shape with triangle section cut out from each side.

Now unfold the coffee filter and create the wing by pinching the top and bottom into the center. 

Colorful coffee filter with sides gathered into the center to shape the dragonfly's wings.

Glue the coffee filter wings to the plastic spoon handle to complete the dragonfly.

Green plastic spoon with googly eyes and purple chenille stem antenna laying on white wood background next to rainbow colored coffee filter wings and glue gun.

Fun Bug Crafts for Kids

Are your little ones curious about the world of insects? Dive into our exciting list of bug crafts that are not only fun but also great learning tools.

These creative, hands-on activities are an excellent way to introduce preschool and elementary school children to the enthralling world of bugs.

From butterflies to beetles, we’ve got a range of projects that will spark their imagination and enhance their fine motor skills. So, let’s get crafting with these fun, bug-inspired artworks!

Interesting Books About Bugs

We all know that reading helps to open up a world of knowledge and possibilities. With that in mind, why not pair a simple bug craft with one of these interesting books about insects?

 Bugs: A Stunning Pop-up Look at Insects, Spiders, and Other Creepy-CrawliesBugs: A Stunning Pop-up Look at Insects, Spiders, and Other Creepy-Crawlies Insects & Bugs for Kids: An Introduction to Entomology (Simple Introductions to Science)Insects & Bugs for Kids: An Introduction to Entomology (Simple Introductions to Science) Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever (National Geographic Kids)Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever (National Geographic Kids) Are You a Dragonfly? (Backyard Books)Are You a Dragonfly? (Backyard Books)

 

To wrap things up, let me tell you about these amazing bug crafts! They’re a perfect blend of fun, learning, and creativity.

Whether your kid is making a Coffee Filter Dragonfly or diving into bug-themed books, these activities offer endless entertainment while building important skills.

But here’s the best part – it’s not just about the final product. It’s about the journey – the joy, the learning, and the memories created along the way. So, grab some glue, gather your little ones, and let’s have some fun!

Close view of completed dragonfly craft made with coffee filter and plastic spoon on gray wood background.

Colorful Coffee Filter Dragonfly Craft

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated Cost: $10 or less

Coffee filters and washable markers transform into a colorful dragonfly craft for kids!

Materials

  • Round White Coffee Filter
  • Washable Markers
  • Googly Eyes
  • Plastic Spoon
  • Chenille Stems in assorted colors
  • Pony Beads

Tools

  • Water Spray Bottle
  • Low Temp Glue Gun or Tacky Craft Glue
  • Scissors
  • Something to protect your work surface.

Instructions

  1. Use washable markers in assorted colors to draw and color on flattened white coffee filters. You will need one coffee filter per dragonfly.
  2. Place coffee filter on a protected surface such as a craft mat, cookie sheet, or plastic bag. Mist with water to blend colors.
  3. Set them aside to dry. Depending on the humidity, it will take about 1-2 hours for the filters to air dry.
  4. Glue two wiggly googly eyes to the back of the spoon head.
  5. Bend a chenille stem in half then wrap it around the spoon handle.
  6. Pinch chenille stem into a “V” shape.
  7. Curl ends to create the antenna. Glue the chenille stem to the spoon.
  8. Slide plastic pony beads onto the ends of each antenna and wrap the chenille stem to secure them in place.
  9. After the coffee filter is completely dry, fold it in half and cut it into an oval football shape for the wings. (When unfolded, it lshould look like a triangle was cut out from each side.)
  10. Unfold it and pinch the top and bottome together to create the wing.
  11. Glue the coffee filter wings to the plastic spoon handle to complete the dragonfly.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Julie Briones

Monday 8th of April 2024

Just adorable, Darcy! And perfect for the garden themed party at Tuesday Turn About this week! So happy to be featuring your post! Pinned!

Darcy Zalewski

Saturday 4th of May 2024

Thank you, Julie! I greatly appreciate it!

Melynda

Friday 5th of April 2024

One of my features for this week's SSPS, thank you for sharing with us! Pinned.

Darcy Zalewski

Saturday 4th of May 2024

Thank you so much, Melynda!

Skip to Instructions