How to Make Coffee Filter Flowers

There is nothing cuter than a craft made by a child. These coffee filter flowers are simple enough that even preschoolers can help make them. They turn into adorable and colorful flowers that will brighten up your home or classroom. It’s the ideal spring or special occasion craft activity!

RELATED: Paper Flowers Craft For Kids

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Adorable, Recycled Coffee Filter Flowers Craft

These DIY coffee filter flowers are a fun, inexpensive craft to make when you want to make a craft using recycled materials. Make sure you have everything you need before getting started! Unlike some crafts that can be overly complicated and frustrating for kids to complete, these flowers are simple and enjoyable to make. You can also make coffee filter butterflies!

Making coffee filter flowers with markers or food coloring and water is a great afternoon activity for preschoolers and older kids. You can easily make flowers out of coffee filters – it’s an activity kids can easily do over and over again. Add this activity to a spring unit and pair it with these 12 Free Spring Color By Number Printables.

Supplies Needed:

Coffee filters (2 per flower)
Eyedropper
Washable markers, food coloring, or watercolors
Pipe cleaners
Small cup or vase
Wax paper
Paper towels

Watch the video here

How to Make Coffee Filter Flowers

It’s easy to make coffee filter flowers DIY! Follow these simple step by step instructions.

For each flower, you will need two coffee filters.

Step 1: Preparation

To avoid any spills or mess, work in a large container. You could also work on a flat surface and cover it with a sheet of wax paper to avoid staining with coloring or ink.

How to cut flowers out of a coffee filter

Place two coffee filters on top of each other.

Then fold these two coffee filters into triangles like in the video example.

Cut half circles around the edges (this is so that it looks like flower petals later).

Step 2: Color and Decorate the Coffee Filters

You can do the coloring part in two ways. Make sure that you have both coffee filters placed on top of each other before completing this step.

Option 1: Add a few drops of food coloring to a cup of water. Drop the colored water onto the coffee filters using an eyedropper to create your designs. You could also use watercolor paint instead. Watch as the colors spread and blend to make cool designs!

Option 2: Color the coffee filters with a washable marker. Draw whatever you like – shapes, lines, dots, or even scribbles!

Adding colors to coffee filter using markers

To get the kids involved, have them draw designs on their coffee filters with markers. We used two coffee filters per flower and made the designs match, but you don’t have to do that.

TIP: Don’t use more than three colors or else the colors might bleed together and turn into a muddy green-brown color, and that does not make pretty flowers.

When complete, lay the coffee filters on wax paper.

Step 3: Spray Water

When done coloring, spray the coffee filter with water using a spray bottle.

spraying colored coffee filter with water

It only needs about 5 good sprays. Thereafter, wait for the colored coffee filters to dry completely.

Another option is to use an eyedropper to drop water onto the coffee filters. Be careful not to overwet the coffee filters else the color will completely bleed away.

Once the colors have run together a little, move the still-wet coffee filters to a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture. Let the coffee filters dry completely.

Once dry, you can lift the coffee filter to separate the two coffee filters.

Then combine them to create a flower.

Step 4: Add a Stem

Twist a pipe cleaner in half. Make a loop in the center, which will become the center of the flower.

Poke the loop through the center of two coffee filters and wrap the two ends around the center of the coffee filter to secure the flower in place.

Wind the two ends of the pipe cleaner around each other to complete the stem.

If you did not cut the edges of the coffee filter, simply crumple the coffee filters in your hand.

Arrange the petals to whatever shape most appeals to you or the kids.

easy coffee filter flowers craft on table

Stick the flowers in a cup or small vase and the coffee filter flower craft is done! You can layer the paper flowers to create a bouquet filled with your creativity.

You could make the flowers with just one coffee filter but it won’t look as full. Here is an example. The orange flower is created using one coffee filter, while the purple and yellow ones include 2 coffee filters. They are both gorgeous, just a slightly different look.