When my son turned two, we entered what I now call the arts and chaos stage. He couldn’t sit still for long, but hand him a paper plate and a glue stick, and suddenly we were having a moment.
We made turtles, masks, and even a very questionable-looking butterfly. Did it look like the Pinterest version? Not even close. But he was proud. And I was happy.
I think they’re imperfect, simple, and perfect all at once. These paper plate crafts are more than just cute activities. They’re memory-makers. They’re the kind of projects that spark giggles, stretch imaginations, and sometimes even buy you ten whole minutes to finish your coffee.
1. Watermelon Summer Paper Plate Craft
Few things say summer like a juicy slice of watermelon, and this paper plate craft is a fun way to turn that into a colorful sensory experience.
With simple cutting, painting, and gluing, kids can create their own watermelon slice that’s both sweet and mess-free. It’s a great activity for practicing scissor skills and color recognition, especially on a rainy day.
2. Paper Plate Flower Garden
This paper plate flower garden project is a celebration of colors, shapes, and creativity.
Kids can experiment with petal shapes, layering, and paint or markers. It encourages pattern-making and design thinking.
Great for spring themes or Earth Day, this one works well as a classroom or group activity since every flower turns out unique.
3. Paper Plate Fish Craft
Inspired by The Rainbow Fish, this paper plate fish craft is both a literacy tie-in and a visual treat. Kids create their own shimmering fish using different colors of stock paper and glitter, building color recognition and storytelling skills. We paired this with the book at home, and my son loved pointing to the sparkle parts on his fish.
4. Weather Indicator Paper Plate Craft
This weather indicator paper plate craft is both fun and functional. Kids can learn about weather patterns and pretend their meteorologists reporting live.
Use the printable, and stick them to a paper plate, as it’s just the right size for the pointer. It’s a great way to sneak in a mini science lesson while they craft.
5. Paper Plate Pond Craft
With a printable template and a little imagination, your child can create a whimsical pond scene craft complete with lily pads and a leaping frog. It’s simple, but it opens up so many conversations about nature and animals. Don’t forget to make frog sounds afterward.
6. Gumball Machine Paper Plate Craft
Talk about a colorful explosion! This craft uses pom poms as gumballs, and it’s so fun that I had to stop myself from taking over. The paper plate base makes the perfect round shape, and you can personalize it with your child’s favorite colors. Tip: use glue dots to avoid the “too much glue” puddle problem.
7. Paper Plate Butterfly Craft
Tissue paper and butterflies just go together. This simple butterfly craft has your child decorate butterfly wings with bright colors and patterns. You can turn it into a color hunt—find blue tissue paper—before you even started gluing. Bonus: hang the finished butterfly in a window for a sweet suncatcher effect.
8. Pirate Paper Plate Craft
Ahoy, matey! This pirate puppet plate craft comes with a printable template and a popsicle stick, so your little one can actually make it dance. I bet your kids speak in a pirate voice for 30 minutes afterwards. Of course, they’ll be the captain, and you’ll be the parrot, but it’s worth it.
9. Truffula Tree Paper Plate Craft
Dr. Seuss fans will love this colorful tribute to The Lorax. It’s all about those fuzzy Truffula trees and you can use pipe cleaners or straws as trunks. My son shouted “I trees!” and then insisted on making another one. These look great taped along a wall for a fun storytime backdrop.
10. Paper Plate Cat Craft
This sweet little cat craft is perfect for animal lovers. Just cut ears from construction paper, add a face with markers, and you’ve got yourself a meow-worthy masterpiece. My son gave his cat big blue eyes and named it Pickle. We’ve now made Pickle a sibling and a pet mouse, all out of plates.
11. Paper Plate Town Craft
This one turns into a mini neighborhood! Using shapes and templates, kids build houses and buildings right onto the plate. It’s fantastic for teaching shapes, colors, and even a bit of storytelling.
12. Tissue Paper and Paper Plate Turtle Craft
Turtles have the most beautiful shells, and this craft lets kids recreate that magic with tissue paper. It’s simple, calming, and somehow therapeutic—great for kids who need a quiet moment.
13. Paper Plate Chicken Craft
This little chicken is cluckin’ cute and ridiculously easy to make. All you need is a paper plate, some construction paper scraps, and a glue stick. It’s perfect for farm unit studies or just when you need a quick win with minimal mess.
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