This Coffee Filter Dragonfly makes a great summer craft for kids.
I love easy crafts for kids and this one uses a few basic craft supplies. Create colorful dragonflies by tie dyeing coffee filters with washable markers and using plastic spoons.
For more summer activities, check out our coffee filter butterflies, handprint sun paper plate, frog paper bag puppet, and kaleidoscope crafts.
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Dragonfly Coffee Filter Craft
I love how simple and fun coffee filter crafts are for kids of all ages. You can easily create these coffee filter dragonflies in about 30 minutes (plus drying time) with help from the kids.
This arts and crafts project is perfect for preschool and kindergarten. Even toddlers can help tie dye the filters! Kids love watching the colors blend. Older children may be able to create these with minimal assistance.
It’s a great way to explore color theory and blending. You can also make this dragonfly craft educational by researching facts about them.
When they are completed, use the dragonflies to hang in the window or to decorate the top of a gift.
Coffee Filter Dragonfly Craft Supplies:
- Round White Coffee Filters (1 per dragonfly)
- Washable Markers
- Googly Eyes
- Plastic Spoon (1 per dragonfly)
- Chenille Stems in assorted colors (1 per dragonfly)
- Pony Beads (2 per dragonfly)
- Water Spray Bottle
- Low Temp Glue Gun and Glue Sticks (or tacky craft glue)
- Scissors
- Gallon zip top bags or cookie sheet or wax paper (to lay filters on for drying)
How to Make Coffee Filter Dragonflies
I recommend using a hot glue gun because it makes the craft more durable, especially if you use it for a decoration. Plus, it dries quicker.
However, if you are making these with younger children, you may want an alternative to hot gluing.
You may try using tacky craft glue (that’s my favorite one to use), but you will need additional drying time.
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.
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.
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. 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.
Slide plastic pony beads onto the end of each antenna and wrap the chenille stem to secure the beads in place.
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.)
Now unfold the coffee filter and create the wing by pinching the top and bottom into the center.
Glue the coffee filter wings to the plastic spoon handle to complete the dragonfly.
Did you make this project with your kids or students? We’d love to see it! Take a picture of it, then join our private Facebook group and show us in there.
More Coffee Filter Crafts:
- Coffee Filter Butterflies
- Coffee Filter Rainbow
- Coffee Filter Hearts
- Coffee Filter Bats
- Coffee Filter Turkeys
- Coffee Filter Leprechaun
- Coffee Filter Angels
- Coffee Filter Santa
- Coffee Filter Wreath
- Coffee Filter Holly Garland
- Coffee Filter Poinsettia Flowers
Colorful Coffee Filter Dragonfly Craft
Coffee filters and washable markers transform into a colorful dragonfly craft for kids!
Materials
- 1 Round White Coffee Filter
- Washable Markers
- 2 Googly Eyes
- 1 Plastic Spoon
- 1 Chenille Stem in assorted colors
- 2 Pony Beads
Tools
- Water Spray Bottle
- Low Temp Glue Gun and Glue Sticks (or tacky craft glue)
- Scissors
- Gallon zip top bags or cookie sheet or wax paper (to lay filters on for drying)
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. 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.
- Slide plastic pony beads onto the end of each antenna and wrap the chenille stem to secure the beads in place.
- 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.)
- Now unfold the coffee filter and create the wing by pinching the top and bottom into the center.
- Glue the coffee filter wings to the plastic spoon handle to complete the dragonfly.
Notes
I recommend using a hot glue gun because it makes the craft more durable, especially if you use it for a decoration. Plus, it dries quicker.
However, if you are making these with younger children, you may want an alternative to hot gluing.
You may try using tacky craft glue (that’s my favorite one to use), but you will need additional drying time.
