50 Amazing Paper Plate Crafts for Kids

Normal people see a paper plate as a thing that holds food. But crafters? We see a paper plate as a craft supply – and an amazing one at that. Paper plates are cheap, easy to obtain, and super versatile, making them one of the best craft supplies for doing projects in classrooms or just with kids in general.

To give you just a bit of an idea of what you can do with such a seemingly simple object, we’ve gathered 50 different paper plate crafts and project ideas for you to check out. Enjoy!

Animal Paper Plate Crafts

Making different animals out of paper plates is super fun for kids so we’re going to start with some of our favorite animal paper plate crafts.

1. Possum

This craft is based on the ringtail possum which is a common animal in Eastern Australia. Many kids may not know that so there’s a learning opportunity involved here!

Get the full tutorial from The Craft Train.

2. Koala

I’m not sure I’ve met a child who doesn’t love koalas! Such a cute animal. Also another animal from Australia so it goes perfectly with the craft above.

Get the full tutorial from I Heart Crafty Things.

3. Frog

This craft has a lot of different fun elements to it. The big eyes, the curly tongue, and the handprint legs all add a pop of personality to the paper plate frog.

Get the full tutorial from Fire Flies and Mud Pies.

4. Penguin

I don’t think I even need to convince you that this one is adorable. Just look at it!

Get the full tutorial from Simple Every Day Mom.

5. Dinosaur

I know a lot of kids absolutely LOVE dinosaurs so this craft should go over pretty well. It allows for a ton of customization too.

Get the full tutorial from Living for the Sunshine.

6. Snail

Snails in real life may not be the cutest things ever but these paper plate snails are pretty darn lovable! Just look at that smile. I love how customizable this one is too with the different scrap paper squares on the snail shell.

Get the full tutorial from The Best Ideas for Kids.

7. Flying Owl

This is the first interactive paper plate craft on this list so far, but not the last! I love the movable element in crafts like this.

Get the full tutorial from I Heart Crafty Things.

8. Easter Bunny

Simple and festive, this is a perfect craft to make around Easter time. If you want more Easter ideas, check out our other easy Easter crafts for kids.

Get the full tutorial from The Best Ideas for Kids.

9. Flying Bat

This is another really fun interactive craft so it’s got an added layer of fun. It could be a good one for Halloween as well, but we’ve got even more Halloween crafts below!

Get the full tutorial from Non-Toy Gifts.

10. Hatching Penguin Chick

Here’s yet another awesome interactive craft – you can move the penguin chick to hide in its egg or pop up as it’s “hatching”. It’s a perfect craft for winter too.

Get the full tutorial from Kids Craft Room.

Interactive Paper Plate Craft Ideas

We included a couple of these types of crafts already, but here are five more! Toddlers and preschoolers love being able to play with the craft after finishing it so these are really great.

11. Interactive Day and Night Scene

There are so many fun ways to use this day and night cycle craft at home. Use it as a bedtime tool, or as a learning activity.

Get the full tutorial from Non-Toy Gifts.

12. Interactive Camping Scene

This is very similar to the craft above except with a bit more scenery. If you go camping a lot with your kids it’s a pretty cool one to make.

Get the full tutorial from Non-Toy Gifts.

13. Interactive Ocean

I really like the idea of using the string as water in this craft. The 3D effect is really cool! And, having different ocean animals for the kids to play with just makes the craft that much better. You could even add your own ocean animals too.

Get the full tutorial from Non-Toy Gifts.

14. Interactive Downhill Snowboarding

This craft is nice because it’s really easy to make, and the snowboarder is just a free printable character that the kids get to color.

Get the full tutorial from JDaniel4’s Mom.

15. Boat Scene

This is another very simple one, but it’s really nice to look at. Rocking the boat through the waves just seems so calming.

Get the full tutorial from Craftulate.

Seasonal/Scenery Paper Plate Art Projects

16. Sun and Rainbow

If you want to teach your kids the colors of the rainbow, making this craft is the perfect way to do it! It also makes a nice wind catcher when it’s finished!

Get the full tutorial from Easy Peasy and Fun.

17. Rainbow With Clouds

Here’s another great craft for teaching your kids the colors of the rainbow. The cotton balls as clouds are a fun element!

Get the full tutorial from Messy Little Monster.

18. Fingerprint Flowers With Butterfly

What I really like about this craft is that the flower petals are made from little fingerprints. Makes for a nice keepsake!

Get the full tutorial from The Joy Sharing.

19. Calla Lily

This is such an amazing homemade Mother’s Day gift that the kids could make. Love it!

Get the full tutorial from The Resourceful Mama.

20. Noah’s Ark

This Noah’s Ark craft is another that is not only extremely fun to make, but also provides a learning opportunity.

Get the full tutorial from Artsy Craftsy Mom.

Christmas Paper Plate Crafts

Christmas is such a perfect time to do some arts and crafts so we’ve gathered a handful of Christmas paper plate crafts for you to check out. If you want more, check out our other Christmas crafts!

21. Santa

Who knew you could make such a jolly old Santa with nothing but a paper plate and some craft paper!

Get the full tutorial from Simple Everyday Mom.

22. Grinch

After you make Santa, it only seems right to craft a paper plate Grinch!

Get the full tutorial from Simple Every Day Mom.

23. Reindeer

This is a really cool way to make a paper plate reindeer. The shredded paper adds some really nice and unique texture!

Get the full tutorial from Kids Craft Room.

24. Super Easy Reindeer

Although much simpler than the reindeer above, these paper plate reindeers are still very adorable. You can also make four of them with just one plate!

Get the full tutorial from Easy Peasy and Fun.

25. Gingerbread Man

The gingerbread man is a classic Christmas character! Maybe you could bake up some real gingerbread men while your kids work on crafting this one up.

Get the full tutorial from Glued to My Crafts Blog.

Halloween Paper Plate Crafts

Halloween is such a fun holiday so we had to find some kid-friendly Halloween paper plate crafts for this list. You could probably even repurpose some of these as DIY Halloween decorations.

26. Monster Plate

This monster plate reminds of our monster cookies! Mostly cute and not too spooky.

Get the full tutorial from Simple Every Day Mom.

27. Moving Eyes Mummy

The coolest thing about this paper plate mummy is that the eyes can be moved around. I think kids of all ages will have fun with this one.

Get the full tutorial from Kids Craft Room.

28. Spider Web

Spider-themed decorations are perfect for Halloween and this one is actually kind of cute! Kids will have fun making the web too.

Get the full tutorial from The Best Ideas for Kids.

29. Big Spider

If you hang this up somewhere for unsuspecting guests you’ll surely get a few scares! You can make these paper plate spiders in various colors too.

Get the full tutorial from I Heart Crafty Things.

30. Witch Wind Catcher

Another great decoration idea here, perfect for hanging on the porch. The paper strips hanging down from the plate will look really cool blowing in the wind.

Get the full tutorial from Kids Craft Room.

31. Pumpkin

Can’t have Halloween without pumpkins! Luckily paper plates are the perfect shape for all sorts of different looking jack-o-lanterns.

Get the full tutorial from Fireflies and Mud Pies.

32. Scarecrow

Scarecrows aren’t super Halloween-themed but I still think this would make for a nice piece of decor. There are a lot of different ways you could customize your scarecrow too.

Get the full tutorial from Messy Little Monster.

33. Zombie

This zombie craft is TOO good! With the 3D effect, the brains, and the popping out eye, it really doesn’t get any better.

Get the full tutorial from Mess for Less.

34. Rocking Pirate Boat

This is another that isn’t strictly Halloween themed, but it works! It’s especially perfect if one of your kids is dressing up as a pirate.

Get the full tutorial from Non-Toy Crafts.

35. Superhero Masks

These are so awesome. They might not pass as full Halloween costumes, but they sure could be a start to one! You could really make these all year round too. Anytime is a good time to be a superhero!

Get the full tutorial from Meaningful Mama.

Other Paper Plate Projects and Craft Ideas

36. Apple Lacing

Some of the methods used in this craft are really fun for the kids, like lacing the string through the apple holes. They can also play with the little worm and move it through each of the holes.

Get the full tutorial from Kids Craft Room.

37. Seasonal String Art

String art is great for kids. It’s fun, the end result is always amazing to look at, and these ones are quite simple so they’re perfect to start with. Plus, there’s one for every holiday!

Get the full tutorial from My Silly Squirts.

38. Frisbees

When it comes to summer activities for kids, tossing around a frisbee is one of the best! And with this project, they can craft their own custom-made frisbee first!

Get the full tutorial from Crafts By Amanda.

39. Toy Story Alien

If your kid has just watched Toy Story or they’re a big fan of the series, they’ll love this craft. Maybe you could even put one of the movies on while you’re crafting!

Get the full tutorial from Simply Today Life.

40. Watermelon

If you’re looking for something quick and easy, you can’t go wrong with a paper plate watermelon! Perfect for summer too.

Get the full tutorial from Simply Today Life.

41. Yin-Yang Puzzle Craft

There are a ton of learning opportunities with this craft! You can teach your kids what the yin and yang symbols mean, they can practice color matching, and more.

Get the full tutorial from Chalk Academy.

42. Wearable Crown

I think this is the first wearable craft on this list so far and I absolutely LOVE it! What kid doesn’t want to craft their own crown and feel like a queen or king for the day?

Get the full tutorial from Meaningful Mama.

43. Pokeball Valentine

You already know we love Valentine’s Day crafts and this one is super fun. Find more homemade Valentine’s Day cards.

Get the full tutorial from Kids Craft Room.

44. Minions

Another thing we really love here is Minion crafts! These paper plate versions are really easy.

Get the full tutorial from Clares Little Tots.

45. Suncatcher

If you came here looking more for paper plate art projects this is definitely one of my favorites. So pretty hung up in front of a window.

Get the full tutorial from Make and Takes.

46. Sun

Making a sun with a paper plate is a classic craft idea! So simple yet fun.

Get the full tutorial from Kids Activities Blog.

47. Ring Toss

Indoor games like this are perfect for a rainy day and this one is super easy to make.

Get the full tutorial from Kiwi Co.

48. Apple Core

This craft is perfect for toddlers as it’s a really easy one. It’s also great for back-to-school time!

Get the full tutorial from 123 Homeschool 4 Me.

49. Sunflowers

I love the layered effect that’s used in this craft. It would make for a very nice keepsake or even a little decoration at home!

Get the full tutorial from Woo! Jr.

50. Dream Catcher

If your kids don’t already know what a dream catcher is, take this as an opportunity to teach them! They can then make their own custom one for their rooms!

Get the full tutorial from Baker Ross.

Final Thoughts

Whew! That’s a big list of paper plate crafts! If you need a good, cheap supply of paper plates, you can find packs on Amazon. Have fun!

More Craft Ideas:

• 40 Easy Toilet Paper Roll Crafts for Kids and Adults
• 30 Wine Cork Crafts and Creative Wine Cork Projects
• 10 Easy DIY Bookmarks for Kids and Adults
• 11 Fun and Easy Crafts for Kids to Do At Home
• 6 DIY Musical Instruments for Kids