Hey there! Today, we’re going to learn how to draw a beautiful monarch butterfly. So, grab your markers, paper, and coloring supplies, and let’s have some fun!
First, let’s draw the butterfly’s body. Start by making an oval shape in the middle of your paper. This is called the thorax, and it’s the middle part of the butterfly’s body.
Next, draw the head by making an upside-down “U” shape above the thorax. Below the thorax, draw a longer “U” shape for the abdomen, which is the lower part of the body.
Now, let’s draw the wings! Start on the left side by drawing a big curve that goes close to the edge of the paper. Do the same on the right side to make it look the same on both sides.
Then, draw a straight line going out from both sides, followed by a diagonal line that goes down. The top wing is called the forewing, and the bottom wing is called the hindwing. Connect the forewing by drawing a curve with a few bumps before it goes back to the middle line. Do this on both sides.
For the hindwing, start from the middle line, curve outwards, add a few bumps, and connect back in. Repeat this on the other side.
Let’s give our butterfly some antennae! Draw a small curve coming out from the head. At the end of each antenna, add a thicker dot, which is called a “club.”
Monarch butterflies have pretty orange wings with special spots. Start with the forewing on the left side by drawing a shape that curves out and back in. Do the same on the right side.
Next, add smaller oval shapes and longer shapes to both wings. Make sure your designs look the same on each side.
For the hindwings, draw a big raindrop shape in the middle of each wing. Then, follow the shape of the first one you drew to make a longer shape that curves back around.
Add smaller oval shapes next to the bigger ones to fill in the patterns on the hindwings.
To finish your butterfly, add small white spots along the edges of both wings. These can be small ovals or circles. Use your imagination to decide how many to add!
Now that your butterfly is all drawn, it’s time to color it! Use orange for the wings and leave the white spots uncolored. Take your time to make it look just right.
Yay! You’ve drawn a monarch butterfly! Remember, it’s okay if your butterfly looks a little different. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy drawing. Happy drawing!
Butterfly Observation Walk: Take a walk in your garden or a nearby park with an adult and look for butterflies. Can you spot any monarch butterflies? Observe their colors and patterns. How do they compare to the butterfly you drew? Try to notice the different parts of the butterfly’s body and wings. Discuss with your adult what you see and how it relates to the steps you followed in drawing.
Butterfly Symmetry Activity: Fold a piece of paper in half and draw one side of a butterfly on one half of the paper. Keep the paper folded and cut out the shape. When you unfold the paper, you’ll have a perfectly symmetrical butterfly! Decorate it with colors and patterns similar to a monarch butterfly. This activity helps you understand symmetry, which is important in drawing butterfly wings.
Butterfly Life Cycle Craft: Create a simple craft showing the life cycle of a monarch butterfly. Use colored paper, scissors, and glue to make the four stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly. Arrange them in order on a piece of cardboard. This will help you understand how a butterfly grows and changes, just like how you drew it step by step!
