15 PAPER PLATE CRAFTS FOR KIDS: DIY FUN TO SPARK CREATIVITY
There’s something so magical about sitting down with the kids, pulling out a few supplies, and watching creativity take over. It’s the little moments—the gluey fingers, proud smiles, and “Look what I made!” moments—that turn simple afternoons into life-long memories. Not to mention, there are so many unique ideas that transform playtime into an engaging and imaginative experience.
I’ve shared lots of inspiration on the blog before, like “Crafts with Puffy Paint,” “Sensory Friendly Bird Crafts,” and even “Food Crafts for Kids!” And today, we’re incorporating one of the easiest and most popular materials for crafting: paper plates! From favorite zoo animals to seasonal themes, these ideas transform recyclable materials into colorful works of art.
And once you learn about how beneficial arts and crafts are? You won’t be able to incorporate it enough! So, today, I’m sharing some of my absolute favorite craft ideas using paper plates. Simple to set up and endlessly exciting—playtime has never been easier!
15 Paper Plate Crafts for Kids: Easy Ideas for Every Occasion
If you love combining fun-filled moments with developmental benefits, you’ll be thrilled to learn just how enriching arts and crafts can be.
Like I discussed in “How Does Arts and Crafts Help a Child’s Development?”, these activities are like the sister to sensory play. They work on fine motor, social, and cognitive skills, while also nurturing confidence and individual preferences—it’s a win-win!
And, as you’ll see below, there’s a paper plate craft idea for every kiddo’s interests. Before we dive in, though, let’s talk about what a paper plate craft is—and why it should be in your playtime rotation!
Oh, one more thing! Whether you’re on the go or navigating playtime for multiple kiddos, this Large Kids Travel Organizer is game-changing. Pack all the materials in, and everything’s ready for you right at your fingertips.
What Is a Paper Plate Craft?
A paper plate craft is a fun way to turn a simple material into a mini creative project. Using the plate as the base, you can cut it into unique shapes, glue on sensory-enriching materials, or paint on fun, colorful designs! Think: dinosaurs, bumble bees, scarecrow heads, or bright blue peacocks—the options are truly endless.
Naturally, this arts and crafts idea invites little ones to explore their creativity, bringing their imagination to life. However, it’s also a fantastic, hands-on way to work on problem-solving skills, patience, concentration, language development, and much more.
Most importantly, paper plate crafts are guided yet flexible. While there is an ultimate “end-goal” (making a turkey look like a turkey), kids still get to make choices, experiment with materials, and add on personal touches. It’s about the process—not perfection!
How to Make Crafts Out of Paper Plates: Animal-Inspired
Dog Paper Plate Craft:
Begin by asking your little one to choose the type of dog they want to create. (Either show them examples or let them figure it out as they go!) While they’re painting, trace out the ears and snout on a piece of paper. Cut them out so they’re ready to glue.
Once the paint dries, have your child glue on the materials and color them afterwards. Then, just add on the googly eyes!
Snail Paper Plate Craft:
Start by cutting out the shape of a snail on construction paper. Just the head, though—you’ll use the paper plate as the shell! Next, glue two small pieces of pipe cleaner to the back and attach two googly eyes to the pipe cleaners.
Finally, use glue to trace a large spiral for the snail’s shell, placing craft beads over the glue. If you’re using hot glue, I recommend doing a little at a time—it dries quickly!
Lion Paper Plate Craft:
This craft is easy enough for little ones to do themselves—start to finish! Begin by painting the paper plate yellow. After the paint tries, add the eyes! Either googly or painted-on works here. Next, color on the nose, mouth, and whiskers.
Then, your child can glue yellow, orange, and red tissue paper all around the rim of the plate to create the mane!
Sheep Paper Plate Craft:
Paint your entire plate light gray, and then cover the back in a thin layer of school glue. Next, take a handful of shredded paper and spread it evenly—this is the fur!
Now, use construction (or foam) paper to cut out a head, ears, and legs. Glue the head on top of the shredded paper, the legs underneath. Finally, add a pink pom-pom for the nose and a pair of googly eyes!
How to Make Crafts Out of Paper Plates: Weather and Nature Themed
Sunshine Paper Plate Craft:
Looking for a fun craft and a keepsake all in one? This sunshine paper plate craft is perfect! Start by painting the entire plate a bright yellow. Next, use markers to draw on eyes, a smile, and a few dots for the cheeks!
For the “rays,” trace your little one’s hand on pieces of yellow and orange construction paper. Cut them out, glue them to the back, and that’s it! Not only is it super cute and easy to create—it’s a craft you’ll treasure forever.
Sunflower Paper Plate Craft:
Grab a paper plate and paint the entire thing yellow. Then, cut mini triangles around the rim of the plate—not too big! Just enough to make them look like petals. If you’re doing this activity with older kids, let them cut it with safety scissors. For littles, feel free to take over.
Then, paint the middle of the plate black to represent the “center” of the flower. Once the paint dries, glue on sunflower seeds, pom-poms, sequins—whatever your child chooses!
Rainbow Paper Plate Craft:
Of course, we couldn’t create a list of weather-themed paper plate crafts without including a rainbow! It’s one of the easiest crafts to create, and it’s bound to impress kids of all ages. To start, simply cut your plate in half.
Then, ask your child to paint small arched lines—like the rainbow! Make sure they follow the classic “ROYGBIV” color order. Once they’ve added all the colors, add some glue to both ends of the plate and stick on some cotton balls for “clouds.”
How to Make Crafts Out of Paper Plates: Under the Sea Adventures
Jellyfish Paper Plate Craft:
Your kiddos can customize this jellyfish however they want! Glitter, sequins, different fun colors—they make the rules here. Start by cutting a paper plate in half, either straight across or in a wavy pattern. Then, have your little ones decorate it!
Once they’re happy with their masterpiece, glue on googly eyes. Finish by punching holes along the bottom and threading colorful yarn through to create wiggly tentacles.
Aquarium Paper Plate Craft:
Don’t have the time to take care of a real aquarium? No problem! Start by painting the entire plate blue—light or dark, doesn’t matter! Next, glue on some dyed beans for the sand.
Next, puffy stickers do all the magic here. Using these ocean world explorers stickers, let your kids place them wherever they want. The sticker pack has sharks, seahorses, crabs, whales—everything they could dream of. That’s all there is to it!
Sea Turtle Paper Plate Craft:
This is, hands down, one of the cutest crafts. Start by painting the plate green. Then, cut out small squares of tissue paper—the more, the better! Next, add a thin layer of glue to the top of the plate and paste on the tissue.
Now, take green construction and trace the head, arms, legs, and tail. Finally, glue the extra pieces to the bottom of the plate, add some googly eyes, and you’re done!
Starfish Paper Plate Craft:
Trust me, this one is easier than you may think. Grab your paper plate, trace a star, and cut it out. Toss the excess out, or save it for your next craft!
Then, let your child take total creative control here. They can paint it whatever color they want, add fun designs, or glue on sensory materials! Think: sensory sequins, beads, pom-poms, or color-dyed rice. Ta-da, you’re done!
How to Make Crafts Out of Paper Plates: Seasonal Favorites
Ladybug Paper Plate Craft:
Once springtime rolls around, this ladybug craft is the perfect activity to pull out. Start by grabbing three paper plates, painting one black and two red. Then, cut the red plates in half. Glue on the two plates, making sure they overlap—you want them to look like wings!
Cut out a few circles to act as the dots, and then one bigger circle for the head. Finally, glue the dots on, some googly eyes, and two pipe cleaners for the antennas!
Smiling Fruit Paper Plate Craft:
This is a super fun summer activity—especially because you can create a few different fruits!
Start by cutting your paper plate in half and painting the outer rim green. Then, paint the center of the red. Either use black-dyed beans or trace a few teardrop-shaped pieces from construction paper. Glue those on, and you’re done!
Pumpkin Paper Plate Craft:
Carving pumpkins, as fun as it may be, gets super messy. Save yourself the stress and do this activity instead! And, even better, there are only a few steps.
Start by painting your entire plate orange. Then, either have your child paint that jack-o’-lantern face onto the plate, or, cut the shapes out for them from construction paper! Make a few different pumpkins, allowing them to customize each one in a fun, unique way.
Snowman Paper Plate Craft:
Ring in the winter season with this easy, super cute snowman paper plate craft! Good news: there’s no painting involved here.
Using foam paper, trace a black hat, an orange nose, and, if you’re crafty, try creating a scarf! Then, cut them out and place them on the table so your little one can choose how to design their plate. Don’t forget the pom-poms for the mouth and googly eyes, of course!
Paper plate crafts aren’t just easy—they’re also versatile and exciting!
When it comes to arts and crafts, the simplest materials tend to create the most exciting masterpieces. Plus, kids love watching their ideas come to life through bright colors, exciting materials, and funky shapes. My favorite part? Knowing that they’re having fun while working on tons of developmental skills—it’s a total parenting win.
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That’s not all, though! For kid-friendly recipes, holiday gift guides, and sensory play activities, head to the Mothercould blog! And, of course, don’t miss out on joining Mothercould In Your Pocket! As soon as you join, you gain instant access to 60+ printable recipes, guided tutorials, and helpful cleaning hacks.
