Bring a burst of color and creativity to your toddler’s day with this easy, hands-on coffee filter paper flowers craft! Using simple household items and a few drops of food coloring, kids can experiment with color mixing, fine motor skills, and imaginative play. The vibrant, soft blooms are perfect for sensory exploration, and they’re a delightful addition to your home or classroom.
This craft is also featured in the Spring / Nature Week of the GoodnightFox Homeschool Curriculum, tying art, science, and sensory play into one simple activity.
Materials
You’ll need the following supplies to make your coffee filter paper flowers (includes affiliate links):
Coffee filters (white work best for vibrant colors)
Food coloring (multiple colors for mixing)
Water in small cups or spray bottles
Hot glue gun and glue sticks (adult supervision required)
Paper towels or a tray for drying
How to Guide / Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare Your Coffee Filters
Flatten your coffee filters on a tray or paper towels.
2. Color the Filters
There are a few ways to add color — let your child choose:
Dipping: Submerge part of the filter in colored water.
Dripping: Use a dropper or pipette to drop color on the filter.
Spraying: Lightly spray colored water for a soft, watercolor effect.
Tip: Encourage kids to experiment with mixing colors directly on the filter for new shades!
3. Dry Completely
Allow filters to dry fully. Depending on technique, drying can take 30–60 minutes.
4. Assemble Your Flower
Take a craft stick and poke it gently through the center of a dried filter.
Fold the filter petals up around the stick, shaping the bloom as you go.
Secure each fold with a dab of hot glue (adult should handle this step).
5. Repeat for Additional Flowers
Mix and match colors, sizes, and techniques to create a vibrant bouquet!
Homeschool Curriculum Integration – Spring / Nature Week
This craft is featured in Spring / Nature Week of the GoodnightFox Homeschool Curriculum. On the day dedicated to Flower Exploration, children:
Investigate color mixing using the coffee filter dye techniques
Observe patterns in nature, like petals and symmetry
Strengthen fine motor skills by folding and assembling the flowers
Practice descriptive language while talking about colors, textures, and shapes
It’s an easy way to combine hands-on creativity with educational objectives, all in one playful activity.
Opportunities to Make the Craft a Learning Moment
Parents can weave learning into play by asking questions and encouraging observation:
“What happens when red and yellow mix?”
“Can you count the number of petals you’ve folded?”
“What do you notice about the shape of a flower?”
“Which colors do you see blending together?”
These prompts promote color recognition, math skills, vocabulary, and scientific observation while keeping the activity light and playful.
Vocabulary Words to Weave In
Introduce these words while crafting for an educational boost:
Petal
Stem
Bloom
Fold
Color
Mix / Blend
Spray / Drip / Dip
Symmetry
Soft
Vibrant
More Flower Crafts to Try
If your toddler loved this coffee filter flower craft, they’ll enjoy these other paper-based activities:
Rainbow Popsicle Stick Craft
Cloud Color-Matching Activity
Paper Plate Rainbow Flowers
Dyed Chickpeas Sensory Art
Each activity is designed to strengthen fine motor skills, sensory exploration, and color recognition, and pairs beautifully with the GoodnightFox Homeschool Curriculum.
Shop and Resource Suggestions for Flower & Spring Fun
Bring more themed fun into your home with:
