Insect Pencil Toppers

This spring, those of you in warmer climates may be heading out to the garden or yard. And you know what outdoor activities mean – bugs! As Easter draws near, celebrate the bright colors and new life around by creating these adorable insect pencil topper crafts.

We’ll teach you how to make these cute critters for the top of your pencil!

Lovely Ladybug

What you need

• Red and black construction paper (one piece each)
• Small black pom-poms
• Scrap black pipe cleaner
• Tacky glue and scissors
• Black permanent marker
• One small brass fastener (optional)
• Wooden pencil (optional)

Here is what to do

1. Cut a circle that measures 3 inches in diameter out of the black construction paper.
2. Cut a circle out of the red construction paper that is just a little bit bigger than the black circle (maybe 3.2 inches in diameter).
3. Cut the red circle in half.


Cut the red circle in half

4. Cut a small circle, about 1 inch in diameter, out of the black paper
5. If you want the wings to be able to flap, read this step. If not, follow step 6. Place the corner of one red semicircle over a corner of the other, and place this over the larger black circle. Once they are aligned, push the brass fastener through all three levels and flatten the ends against the back of the black circle. Color the top of the brass fastener black with the permanent marker. Younger children will need some help with this step.


Flapping Wings

6. Follow this step if you don’t mind the wings being fixed. Glue the two halves of the red circle onto the larger black circle so that the corner of one semicircle is overlapping the other but some black is showing between the two semicircles. See the photograph after step 5 to get an idea.
7. Glue the pom-poms onto the red wings of the ladybug.
8. Glue the small black circle to the back of ladybug, leaving a little showing to form the head.


Glue head to lady bug

9. Use two small scraps of black pipe cleaner for antennae by gluing them to the back of the ladybug’s head.
10. If you’d like to turn your ladybug into a pencil topper, simply glue or tape the top of the pencil to the back of the ladybug.

When you’re all finished, your ladybug should look something like this:

Ladybug Pencil Topper

Beautiful Butterfly

What you need

• A wooden pencil
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Markers, craft foam, and other decorative materials
• Pom-poms
• Glue

Here is what to do :

1. Fold the sheet of construction paper in half. Draw the outline of half of a butterfly, with the fold down the middle of the butterfly. This will ensure that your butterfly is symmetrical.


Draw Butterfly Outline

2. Cut out the half outline you just drew, keeping the fold in the construction paper intact.


Cut Butterfly Outline

3. Unfold the butterfly and decorate it with markers, craft foam and anything else you can think of.


Decorate Butterfly

4. Glue the pencil onto the front of the butterfly, right down the middle.


Glue Butterfly to Pencil

5. Glue pom-poms to the pencil to form the body of the butterfly.


Pom poms on pencil

Here’s what our finished pencil toppers look like



Finished Ladybug and Butterfly Pencil Topper