10+ Paper Plate Crafts Kids Love

Inside: Learn how to transform a simple paper plate into a variety of craft projects for your kids, from animal masks to musical instruments. 

Sometimes, the best art supplies for kids are the simplest. A plain pack of paper plates opens the door to numerous craft possibilities!

You could create just about every animal and tons of different objects with just a plate as your base.

This compilation of paper plate crafts will help get your creative juices flowing for planning your upcoming preschool art projects.

These ideas are not only fun for school, but would be easy at-home activities, too!

Paper Plate Crafts Kids Love

Rainbow Suncatcher – These no-mess sun catchers are fun to make and add some color in the window.

Simple Stamping Umbrella – Kids will decorate these paper umbrellas by stamping dots onto them with do-a-dots or paint. (The Chirping Moms)

Homemade Tambourines – Use two paper plates stapled together with dry rice or other small materials in the center to create an instrument. (Education)

Octopus with Streamer Legs – Tape long strips of streamers or paper to the bottom of a paper plate to make an octopus. (Toddler Approved)

Scissor Skills Lion – Make small snippets around the plate to create a lion’s mane, allowing for preschoolers to work on their scissor skills. (Kids Activities)

Tropical Fish – Provide colorful tissue paper for kids to glue onto a paper plate to make a fish. (Glued To My Crafts)

Easy Crowns – Turn a paper plate into a crown for preschoolers to decorate. (Where Imagination Grows)

Movable Ladybug – Decorate two paper plates held together with brads to create a ladybug with movable wings. (Blissful Domestication)

Colorful Flower – Glue pieces of colorful paper or tissue paper around the outside of a paper plate to become the petals. (Toddler Approved)

Lion Mask – Cut out the center of a paper plate to make a mask, gluing strips of paper around the edge for a lion’s mane. (Danya Banya)

Painted Sea Shells – Trim around the paper plate to make a seashell shape for kids to paint. (Artsy Craftsy Mom)

Ribbon Jellyfish – Cut a paper plate in half and decorate the ends with long pieces of ribbon as the tentacles. (Arty Crafty Kids)

More art ideas:

Fun Outdoor Art Activities

Spin a Rainbow

Recycled Art