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Paper plates are honestly one of the handiest craft supplies around. These simple, cheap materials can turn into amazing art projects that keep children busy and help them learn new skills.
Odds are, you’ve got a stack of paper plates in the kitchen already, which means you can dive right in.
This list has a bit of everything: silly animals, bright decorations, and interactive projects like masks and puppets. The best part? You only need basics like paint, yarn, cotton balls, and pipe cleaners.
These ideas work for toddlers, preschoolers, and even older kids who want to get creative.
1. Paper Plate Lion with Yarn Mane
This lion craft is a favorite because you barely need anything fancy. Paint the plate yellow for the lion’s face.
For People Who Love to Make Things ✂️
Chop up some orange or brown yarn and glue the pieces around the edge for a fluffy mane. Add some paper triangles for ears, doodle on a face, and that’s it—roaringly cute.
2. Ocean Scene Paper Plate Craft
Ocean scenes are always a hit. Grab a plate and paint it blue—let it dry so you don’t end up with smudgy fingers.
Cut out fish from colored paper, mix up the sizes and colors for a real underwater vibe, and glue them on.
If you have seashells from the beach, stick a few on. Otherwise, draw some seaweed with green markers or crayons. It’s a mini ocean right on your table.
3. Paper Plate Mask Decorating
Masks are always a crowd-pleaser. Cut some eye holes in the middle of a plate.
Paint it with bold colors—yellow makes an awesome duck or sun. Add feathers, paper shapes, or random scraps of fabric. Glue holds it all together.
Tape a wooden stick to the bottom so kids can hold their creations up for a little drama.
4. Paper Plate Flower Wreath
Making flower wreaths with paper plates is surprisingly satisfying. All you need are plates, scissors, glue, and something to color with.
Cut the center out of one plate for your wreath base. Use the other plates to draw and cut out flower shapes. Paint them in bright colors, let them dry, then glue them around your plate ring. Instant cheer for any door.
5. Paper Plate Handprint Turtle
This handprint turtle always gets a giggle. Paint your kid’s hand green, then press it onto the plate for the head and legs.
Stick on some googly eyes, draw a little smile, and let them decorate the shell however they like. Cute and personal—what’s not to love?
6. Paper Plate Butterfly with Paint
Painted butterflies are a classic. Fold a plate in half, cut out some wing shapes so they’re even.
Let the kids go wild with paint—mix, blend, make patterns, whatever. When it dries, twist up some pipe cleaners for antennae and glue on googly eyes. Easy, colorful, and a little bit magical.
7. Paper Plate Dinosaur Puppet
Dinosaur puppets are just plain fun. Grab a plate, some construction paper, glue, and crayons.
Cut out a dinosaur head, legs, and tail from the colored paper. Glue them onto the plate for the body. Let the kids color and decorate their dino however their imagination takes them.
8. Paper Plate Spider with Pipe Cleaners
This Halloween spider is a breeze. Paint the back of a plate black and let it dry.
Snip four black pipe cleaners in half, bend them into legs, and glue them to the plate. Stick on some googly eyes and you’ve got a creepy-cute spider.
9. Paper Plate Sun with Tissue Paper
This sun craft is bright and cheery. Paint a plate yellow and let it dry.
Cut yellow and orange tissue paper into little squares, maybe about an inch each. Help kids glue them around the edge for fluffy, fiery rays.
Draw a happy face in the middle—smiles are pretty much required.
10. Paper Plate Pizza Slice Craft
This pizza craft is a go-to when you need something easy. Cut a plate into triangle slices, then let kids glue on paper toppings—pepperoni, cheese, veggies, whatever they dream up. No oven required.
11. Paper Plate Owl with Feathers
This owl is all about texture. Paint a plate brown or any color you like.
Cut circles for eyes and a triangle for the beak, glue them on, then pile on real or paper feathers around the edges. It’s a hoot—sorry, couldn’t resist.
12. Paper Plate Rainbow with Cotton Balls
This rainbow craft is quick and cheerful. Cut colored paper into strips and glue them in arcs on the plate. Top it off with cotton ball clouds. Done!
13. Paper Plate Fish with Scales
Fish crafts get extra cool with bubble wrap for scales. Cut a plate into a fish shape, dip bubble wrap in paint, and stamp it on for a scaly look. Add fins, eyes, and a mouth with markers. It’s oddly satisfying.
14. Paper Plate Native American Dreamcatcher
Dreamcatchers are a fun way to weave in a little culture. Cut the center out of a plate, punch holes around the edge, and weave yarn through to make a web. Add beads as you go. Tie feathers to the bottom and hang it up to catch those good dreams.
15. Paper Plate Snowman with Cotton Balls
This fluffy snowman is perfect for chilly days. Cover one plate in cotton balls for the body, add a paper carrot nose and buttons, and glue two plates together for the full snowman. Bundle up—he’s adorable.
16. Paper Plate Tiger Face
Tiger faces are a snap. Paint a plate orange, draw on black stripes, cut out orange triangle ears, and glue them on top. It’s simple, bold, and surprisingly fierce.
17. Paper Plate Cake Party Craft
This cake craft always brings a smile at birthday parties or just for pretend play. I usually grab two paper plates, some construction paper, and a glue stick—nothing fancy.
I glue the plates together, rim to rim, so it actually looks like a cake shape. Then I cut out a bunch of colorful paper strips to use as frosting and candles.
After that, I stick the paper frosting around the edges and add paper candles on top. A quick touch with crayons makes little flames—simple but cute.
18. Paper Plate Bird Nest with Paper Eggs
This spring craft is one of my favorites for talking about birds and their homes. I start with a plain paper plate, brown paint, some construction paper, and glue.
I paint the plate brown and wait for it to dry (sometimes I get impatient, but it’s worth it). Then I cut up little strips of brown paper for the nest.
Once the paint’s dry, I glue the strips around the plate’s edge to make the nest walls. I cut white ovals for eggs and pop them inside—nothing too perfect, just fun and a little messy like a real nest.
19. Paper Plate Pirate Hat
Honestly, making this pirate hat with kids is just plain fun. All you really need is a paper plate, some scissors, and either black paint or a marker—nothing fancy.
Just chop the plate in half. Slap on some black paint (or scribble away with the marker) and wait for it to dry. Sometimes I get impatient and wave it in the air a bit.
Staple those curved sides together so you end up with a kind of triangle hat. Toss on a skull and crossbones if you’re feeling extra pirate-y. There you go.
