This coffee filter mermaid tail is an excellent summer craft for kids. It’s an easy and affordable project to make at home or school.

Using washable markers, transform coffee filters and colored paper into a vibrant mermaid tail suncatcher you can hang in the window.

This craft is ideal for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary age children. Younger children may need some assistance to complete this project.

When completed, they are so bright and colorful, making it the perfect homemade decoration or craft activity for a mermaid themed birthday party too!

Create a themed set with our coffee filter seashell and coffee filter starfish suncatchers too.

Looking for more coffee filter craft ideas? Check out our book of 15 cute coffee filter crafts.

White text on purple to green gradient background says Coffee Filter Mermaid Tail Craft. Below text is a completed mermaid tail made with a purple cardstock outline and a multi colored coffee filter filling in the tail.

Mermaid Tail Coffee Filter Craft

This coffee filter mermaid tail craft uses common craft supplies you may already have around the house and only takes about 30 minutes to complete (plus additional drying time).

Do this craft at home, as a family, or at a school. It’s a quick and easy craft to include in a summer themed art center or for summer camp at home.

Making these coffee filter mermaid tail suncatchers is a fun fine motor activity for preschool and kindergarten children that provides coloring, tracing, cutting and gluing practice.

For an additional learning opportunity, you can also discuss color theory.

Left side is a picture of a white mermaid tail outlined template laying on purple cardstock for tracing. The right side shows a finished coffee filter mermaid tail suncatcher.

Younger children may need assistance cutting out the center of the tail, but older children will also enjoy this craft that they can complete mostly independently.

Kids of all ages will love spraying the coffee filters with water and watching the colors blend too.

Coffee filters bleed color because they are so thin. So, it’s important to protect your work surface by placing the coffee filters on top of a craft mat, parchment paper, zippered plastic bag, or even a paper plate before spraying.

These may require additional drying time depending on how much water is sprayed on the coffee filter during the blending stage.

Coffee Filter Mermaid Tail Craft Supplies:

Materials for making a coffee filter mermaid tail laying out. Includes coffee filters, small spray bottle, cardstock paper in blue, green, and purple, assorted washable markers, and adhesive.

Mermaid Tail Suncatcher Template PDF File 160 (our free printables are available in the free printable resource library – get the password by filling out the form at the bottom of this post)
Round White Coffee Filters
Washable Markers in Pink, Purple, Green, Blue
2 sheets of Colored Paper in Blue, Green, or Purple
Glue Sticks
Water Spray Bottle (for color blending)
Scissors
Pencil
Paper Plate, parchment paper, ziploc bag or craft mat

How to Make a Coffee Filter Mermaid Tail Suncatcher:

Start by flattening out round coffee filters. Draw on them with washable markers in a variety of patterns or simply lightly color the entire area.

White coffee filter colored in with blue, purple, and pink washable markers.

Let kids use whatever colors they want, but we suggest pink, purple, blue, and green for the mermaid tail.

Place the colored coffee filter on a paper plate, sheet of parchment paper, craft mat or large zipper baggie and mist with a water spray bottle.

Spraying colored coffee filter with water making colors blend.

Have fun watching the magic of the colors move and blend! Then set the wet coffee filters aside to dry.

The drying time will vary depending on how much water is sprayed on them during the blending stage.

Print out the mermaid tail suncatcher template (file 160 in our free printable resource library) and cut out the mermaid tail frame.

Mermaid tail template cut out of white paper laying on top of purple cardstock to be traced. Tie dyed coffee filter lays next to it.

Pinch the template in half, cut a slit in the center, and then cut out the inside of the shape. Younger kiddos will need help with this step or prepare the template for them ahead of time.

Next, trace the mermaid tail frame pattern two times on colored paper. Cut it out with scissors.

Mermaid tail suncatcher frame cut out of purple cardstock laying next to glue stick and colorful coffee filter.

Once your coffee filter is dry, place the suncatcher frame over it until you are happy with how it shows through the frame. You may need to layer two coffee filters to completely cover the mermaid tail.

Attach the colored coffee filter to the first suncatcher frame with a glue stick. Then flip it over, line up the second frame and glue them together so the coffee filter is in between the two paper frames.

Completed coffee filter mermaid tail suncatcher made with a bright and colorful coffee filter inside a purple cardstock outline.

Now carefully cut away the excess tie-dyed coffee filter with scissors. The colored paper should make a nice outline around the brightly colored coffee filter.

Hang the suncatcher in a sunny window or door using a loop of string or double-sided tape.

More Ocean Themed Activities:

More Coffee Filter Crafts:

Coffee Filter Mermaid Tail Craft

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5 or less

Make a bright and colorful coffee filter mermaid tail suncatcher for a fun summer craft for kids.

Materials

Mermaid Tail Suncatcher Template PDF File 160 (available in the free printable resource library)
Round White Coffee Filters
Washable Markers in Pink, Purple, Green, Blue
2 sheets of Colored Paper in Blue, Green, or Purple
Glue Sticks

Tools

Water Spray Bottle (for color blending)
Scissors
Pencil
Paper Plate, parchment paper, ziploc bag or craft mat (to protect work space)

Instructions

Start by flattening out round coffee filters. Draw on them with washable markers in a variety of patterns or simply lightly color the entire area.
Let kids use whatever colors they want, but we suggest pink, purple, blue, and green for the mermaid tail.
Place the colored coffee filter on a paper plate, sheet of parchment paper, craft mat or large zipper baggie and mist with a water spray bottle.
Have fun watching the magic of the colors move and blend! Then set the wet coffee filters aside to dry.
The drying time will vary depending on how much water is sprayed on them during the blending stage.
Print out the mermaid tail suncatcher template (file 160 in our free printable resource library) and cut out the mermaid tail frame.
Pinch the template in half, cut a slit in the center, and then cut out the inside of the shape. Younger kiddos will need help with this step or prepare the template for them ahead of time.
Next, trace the mermaid tail frame pattern two times on colored paper. Cut it out with scissors.
Once your coffee filter is dry, place the suncatcher frame over it until you are happy with how it shows through the frame. You may need to layer two coffee filters to completely cover the mermaid tail.
Attach the colored coffee filter to the first suncatcher frame with a glue stick. Then flip it over, line up the second frame and glue them together so the coffee filter is in between the two paper frames.
Now carefully cut away the excess tie-dyed coffee filter with scissors. The colored paper should make a nice outline around the brightly colored coffee filter.
Hang the suncatcher in a sunny window or door using a loop of string or double-sided tape.

Notes

Colors may bleed through wet coffee filters. Please use parchment paper or a craft mat to protect your workspace.

Drying times will vary.