Free Butterfly Life Cycle Coloring Page

A life cycle of a butterfly coloring page is a simple and engaging way to help kids explore how butterflies grow and change through each stage of metamorphosis.

We used this during a spring science unit, and it sparked so many great conversations, especially around the chrysalis stage, which felt almost magical.

This hands-on life cycle worksheet makes it easy for young learners to color, sequence, and understand each part of the butterfly’s journey from egg to adult.

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What Is the Life Cycle of a Butterfly?

The life cycle of a butterfly includes four main stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult. It’s one of the most fascinating examples of metamorphosis in nature.

It all starts when a female butterfly lays tiny eggs on the leaves of a host plant, usually one the caterpillars will eat. After a few days, the eggs hatch into hungry caterpillars that spend most of their time eating and growing. They’ll molt several times as they outgrow their skin.

Once the caterpillar is fully grown, it forms a chrysalis. Inside, an amazing transformation takes place: the caterpillar breaks down and reorganizes into a butterfly. This process can take a week or more, depending on the species.

Finally, the adult butterfly emerges, dries its wings, and takes flight, ready to feed on nectar and start the cycle again.

Butterflies don’t just look beautiful—they also help pollinate flowers and support healthy ecosystems.

How to Use the Life Cycle of a Butterfly Coloring Page

Coloring Fun: Kids can add bright colors to each part of the butterfly life cycle—from tiny eggs to fully formed butterflies—while practicing fine motor skills and creativity.

Teaching Tool: This worksheet is a simple way to introduce metamorphosis. As they color, kids can follow how a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, stage by stage.

Creative Learning: Turn this into a storytelling activity by having kids describe what’s happening in each phase. It’s a fun way to blend science with imagination.

Ways to Expand on the Butterfly Coloring Page

1. Observe Butterflies in the Wild: Visit a local park, garden, or butterfly house where kids can spot real butterflies. Encourage them to compare what they see to the stages they colored on the worksheet.
2. Start a Butterfly Garden: Plant flowers that attract butterflies, like milkweed or zinnias, and observe which species visit. Kids can track behavior and connect it to the butterfly life cycle.
3. Research Activity: Older children can pick a butterfly species to study. Have them look into habitat, diet, and how different butterflies experience each stage of metamorphosis.

Educational Benefits

As kids work through the butterfly life cycle coloring sheet, they build a range of important early learning skills:

Creativity and Imagination: Coloring each stage encourages creative expression, and making up butterfly stories adds an extra layer of imaginative play.

Fine Motor Skills: Staying within the lines and adding detail strengthens hand-eye coordination, important for writing and other precise tasks.

Cognitive Development: Sequencing the life cycle helps children understand scientific processes and improves logical thinking.

Language Skills: Describing each stage aloud or in writing builds vocabulary and helps kids explain what they’ve learned clearly and confidently.

We love to add the Life Cycles book to our studies.

Life Cycle of a Butterfly Books for Kids

We’ve always loved pairing hands-on worksheets with great books, and these butterfly books for kids are perfect for bringing the life cycle to life. Whether you’re reading together or handing one off for quiet time, each one adds something special to your lesson.

A Butterfly’s Life Cycle – This one’s a great intro for younger readers. It walks through each stage in a way that’s easy to follow but still detailed enough to spark curiosity.

Butterflies for Kids – If your kids are full of questions like mine was, this book is packed with facts about different species, habitats, and behaviors. It’s perfect for those who want to go beyond the basics.

The Amazing Life Cycle of Butterflies – The illustrations in this one really stand out. It’s a lovely mix of visuals and science that keeps kids engaged and helps them visualize the full transformation.

Additional Butterfly Resources

If your kids are as butterfly-obsessed as mine was, these extra preschool butterfly activities are a fun way to keep the learning going:

• Printable butterfly coloring sheets: Kids can color in various butterfly images, fostering creativity and fine motor skills.
• Free butterfly matching game printable: Boost memory skills with this interactive memory game featuring vibrant butterfly images.
• Life cycle of a butterfly worksheets: Reinforce learning with worksheets that explore each stage of the butterfly’s journey.
• Butterfly parts worksheet: Help kids understand butterfly anatomy with this easy-to-use diagram.
• Butterfly preschool worksheets: A collection of activities tailored for preschoolers to learn all about butterflies.
• Butterfly word search: Make learning fun with a word search focused on key terms from the butterfly life cycle.

Check out our favorite butterfly life cycle activities for preschool!

Get the Free Butterfly Coloring Page Here!

If you are running short on time you can download all of our life cycle worksheets. There are 247 pages over 23 different life cycles.

Ready to grab your free printable? Just pop your name and email into the form below, and it’s all yours!

If you don’t see the form below, click here to get the free butterfly coloring sheet.

Last Updated on 30 April 2025 by Clare Brown