Toddler at Play | Kids Crafts & Activities

10+ Easy Paper Plate Crafts

paper plate caterpillar craft- toddler at play (3)

Are you looking for easy and fun paper plate crafts?

Take a look at this fun list of 10+ Easy Paper Plate Crafts you might like!

RELATED: 25+ Nature Inspired Ideas for Kids

All activities should be supervised by an adult. This post contains affiliate links- this just means I earn a small commission if you purchase via links below, no extra cost to you! Read our disclosure policy here.

 

#1: Earth craft

With this Earth Craft your kids are ready to celebrate our beautiful planet! This craft is super quick to prep and the kids will love the process! These planets don’t have to look perfect because the main idea is for kids to learn about the world and the planet Earth.

 

MATERIALS:

Optional book:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • First, cut the green and light blue tissue paper into squares, about 2″ x 2″. They don’t have to be perfectly square as they will be crinkled up anyways. Place them into a bowl.
  • Let the kids “create” their own planet Earth by gluing the pieces of crinkled tissue paper onto the paper plate.

TIP- using the book I mentioned above, really helps! Or use any book that has a picture of Earth for the kids to use as reference.  

 

#2: Ice Painted igloo craft

Do your kids like paper plate crafts? Or how about painting with ice cubes!? Well this Ice Painted Igloo Craft is a combination of both! These Igloos are painting with ice cubes and made from paper plates. Super easy to set up (perfect for those boredom buster activities) and requires only a few materials. Isn’t that awesome!

ice painted igloos (4)

 

MATERIALS:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

First, make your painting ice cubes by filling a desired about of ice cube sections with water, half way. Then add the paint and stir. I used a
toothpick. Now stick a popsicle stick into each ice cube and freeze. Next, cut 1/3 of the paper plate and use the larger piece for the igloo. I used the small piece to create a chimney. Using my best creativity skills, I simply cut out what looks like a chimney and glued it onto the back side of the igloo, nothing fancy here. I also cut a small flap for the door. Get creative at this step, decorating the igloo as you want.  Now is the fun part, creating the ice look of the igloo! Use the ice cubes to STAMP the water/paint on the igloo. Help the child stamp in one line to create a layered icy look.  

 

#3: Paper plate peacock craft

This Paper Plate Peacock Craft is a fun paper plate craft for kids!

Paper plates are so versatile! There’s so many crafts using a paper plate to choose from and this peacock craft is another one to the mix! Kids will love the technique used to make the appearance for the peacock, make sure to take a look below to see how!

For this craft, you’re using basic craft supplies plus stuff you can find around the house, like clothespin and paper rolls. The list of materials may look overwhelming at first, but in all honestly, you probably have most, if not all, of the materials at home. For decorating the peacock, you can use anything in place of the sequins. Even glitter looks great! Get as creative as you can to make these peacocks look super fancy.

 

MATERIALS:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Cut the paper plate in half.
  • Add the washable kids paint onto a paper plate and pinch the pom-pom in a clothespin.
  • Color the cut paper plate using the pom-pom and purple/blue paint. Pom-pom gives the peacock a super cool look! Let dry.
  • Using the liquid school glue and sequins, decorate the peacock in any way you want. Let the glue set.
  • Once the glue has set, hot glue the feathers to the back of the paper plate. THIS STEP IS FOR ADULTS.
  • Next, cut the paper roll to about 2-3 inches long. Add 1 inch slits on one end of the paper roll, both sides.
  • Cut the pipecleaner into 3 strips, about 3 inch long each. Glue to the inside of the paper roll.
  • Add the googly eyes using the liquid school glue as well as the beak. You can make a simple beak from the other half of the paper plate. Let glue set. 
  • Once the glue has set, insert the painted paper plate into the slits of the paper roll. 
  • Done!

 

 

#4: paper plate caterpillars

This Paper Plate Caterpillar Craft is a fun craft idea using a paper plate. Easy instructions allow even the littlest ones to follow along to make their own very unique (and hungry) caterpillar! Take a look below for full step by step instructions.

paper plate caterpillar craft- toddler at play (3)

 

MATERIALS FOR PAPER PLATE CATERPILLAR CRAFT:

Optional book:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Begin by cutting the paper plate in half and then cutting of the ribbed part (this will be our caterpillar).
  • Cut a circle out of light/green cardstock (about 2 inches in diameter). Prepare the rest of the materials for the kids to use.
  • Let the kids use desired paint colors to paint their caterpillars (striped caterpillars looks super cool!). Let dry.
  • Meanwhile, glue on the googly eyes, draw a smile for the caterpillar with the permanent marker and trim/glue the antennae using pipecleaners.
  • Once the paint has dried, glue the head of the caterpillar onto the body.

 

RELATED: Recycled Bee Craft

 

#5: paper plate bunny craft

If you’re looking for a cute Spring craft for kids then you’ll love this Paper Plate Bunny Craft! It’s super fun to make and kids will love the easy steps for creating their adorable little fluffy friend.

paper plate bunny craft- toddler at play

 

MATERIALS:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Begin by prepping a few of the materials ahead of time. This will only take 5 minutes. Place a bit of the gray paint onto a paper plate and set the foam paintbrush beside.
  • Cut long ears out of the gray felt. They don’t have to be perfect!
  • Cut a small heart out of the pink felt for the nose.
  • Allow the kids to paint the paper plate with the gray paint, let dry.
  • Hot glue the ears to the back of the paper plate. HOT GLUE GUN SHOULD BE USED BY THE ADULT!
  • Once the paint is dry, use the hot glue gun to glue the 2 pipecleaners (bent, for the whiskers).
  • Hot glue the heart for the nose, right on top of the whiskers.
  • Using the permanent marker, draw a simple face for the bunny (I suggest this step for the adults as well, unless using a washable marker)

 

 

#6: jelly fish craft

This Jelly Fish ain’t just a simple jellyfish craft. This is paper-plate-meets-tissue-paper jellyfish craft. It’s fun, unique and simple enough for toddlers to make.

 

MATERIALS:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Clip the pom-pom into the clothespin and prepare the washable kid paint by placing small amounts of paint onto a paper plate. Next, cut a paper plate in half for the jellyfish. Paint the jellyfish by stamping the paint with the pom-pom, let dry. Then using the tissue paper cut it into wavy strips and glue to the back of the jellyfish.

 

 

#7: paper plate marble maze

This Paper Plate Marble Counting Maze is so quick to make and super fun!

 

MATERIALS:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut strips of cardstock (approximately 5″x 1″, depending on the size of the marble or bouncy ball) and label each with a number, 1-5 using the colored permanent markers. For each strip, bend and fold the ends inward and glue onto the paper plate. Add the marble/bouncy ball and enjoy the maze!

 

 

#8: butterfly paper plate threading

This Butterfly Paper Plate Threading craft is super easy to set-up, totally adorable and most importantly, improves those good old fine motor skills!

Butterfly Paper Plate Threading- toddler at play (7)

 

MATERIALS:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start by outlining a large butterfly on the backside of the paper plate. Next make the holes every 1/2 inch apart to make a butterfly outline. Lastly, pick the thread you’ll be using (I used 3 different colors of threads and tied one end 3 times, the other end once to keep them together. You can use one thread, totally optional) and make a large enough knot at one end, I made a few knots. Start threading with the “untied” end of the threading, if you have single thread.

 

RELATED: Coffee Filter Butterfly Craft

 

#9: Snowy paper plate Hat craft

This Snowy Paper Plate Hats craft is soooo much fun!

 

MATERIALS:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start by cutting 1/4 off the paper plate. Toss the end. Next bend over the edge that you cut to create a hat rim and hot glue (please handle the hot glue gun :))

Let the kids have fun painting away, decorating their hats in which ever way they want!

When they’re done painting, hot glue the pom-pom right on top of the hat. Let dry a little.

Next, squeeze and spread the kids glue all over the hat and sprinkle the fake snow over, shake off excess and let dry. TOTALLY HELPS TO DO THIS STEP OVER THE TRASH!

 

 

#10: paper plate apple craft

This Paper Plate Apple Craft is going to give you all the Fall vibes. Apple-picking, apple cider, apple donuts, you name it. Autumn is a wonderful and beautiful time of the year for apples!

 

MATERIALS:

Book we’ve paired this craft with:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Pour a little bit of the red washable kids paint onto a paper plate.
  • Let the kids paint another paper plate red using the foam paintbrush. Let dry.
  • Meanwhile, cut out a little stem out of the brown/beige felt and a leaf out of the green felt. *Adults can help little ones with this step*
  • Once the red paper plate has dried, add the stem and leaf by gluing to the backside of the paper plate. Let the glue set.

 

 

#11: sponge painted sunflower craft

In this Sponge Painted Sunflower Craft kids are using sponges to paint! It’s super quick to prep, short list of materials needed and easy enough for even the toddlers to do! Kids will have a blast painting with sponges! It’s unique, fun and adds a beautiful texture to the sunflower.

sponge painted sunflower- toddler at play (4)

 

MATERIALS FOR SPONGE PAINTED SUNFLOWER CRAFT:

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Start by cutting slits into the paper plate all around. This step can be done by the parent ahead of time.
  • Next, place a large amount of each paint color onto a paper plate.
  • Cut the sponge into long strips (easier to hold!) and set beside the paint.
  • Paint the petals yellow and the middle black by stamping the sponge into the paint and then onto the paper plate. Add a bit of orange too, to make a realistic sunflower!
  • After the sunflower has dried a bit, cut a long thick strip of green cardstock and glue to the back of the sunflower to create a stem.

 

#12: Paper Plate Lion Craft

This Paper Plate Lion Craft is a simple, nature-inspired craft idea for kids. Nature crafts are always fun to do! Take a peak at this fun, long list of 25+ Nature Inspired Ideas for Kids. For these lions, we are using leaves for the lions mane! You’ll need to collect some leaves, so head on outside to collect as many as you can! In addition to the leaves, you’ll need a paper plate and a few basic craft supplies. These paper plate lions make a fun classroom or homeschool craft. The instructions are super easy to follow for even the very little ones!

nature lion craft - toddler at play (3)

 

Materials:

 

Instructions:

  • Start by painting the paper plate with yellow washable kids paint and foam paintbrush. Let dry completely.
  • Next, using the liquid school glue, glue the leaves around the rigid edges of the paper plate for the mane. Overlapping the leaves look really pretty, or if you have a lot of leaves you can glue them as often and “thick” as you like.
  • Lastly, using the permanent marker draw a simple face for the lion and glue on the googly eyes.

 

Grab a paper plate and get crafting!

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