5 Easy Paper Plate Crafts For Toddlers And Preschoolers

Do you ever find yourself staring at a stack of paper plates sitting idly in the bottom cupboard and wondering what you could do with them? I did at some point.

Turns out those paper plates are craft treasure just waiting to be put to creative use and a couple of good things about them is that they are a great option for “Something-quick-to-do” moments, are versatile, and very pocket-friendly (The sound every mom loves).

So here, I’ve put together 5 of the super simple paper plate crafts I did with my kids, that kept us busy and bonding.

Related post: Top 5 Easy, Mess-Free Crafts You Can Do In 5 Minutes

1. Paper plate Animal Mask

Because my 5- and 3-year-old girls love playing the “Who am I?” game, we made animal masks to level up the fun.

How to make it: Colour or paint a paper plate. Make eye holes in it and draw an animal face on it. Glue animal ears behind the plate, then punch holes at both ends of the plate to attach a string or a yarn. Wear the mask and enjoy.

Materials Needed:

• Paper plate
• Scissors
• Glue
• Markers or crayons
• construction paper
• String / Yarn

Tip: Allow your kids to paint, colour or glue. Kids love it!

2. Paper Plate Wreath

This is a super-easy paper plate craft that can make a cute decoration for your home and sneak in fine motor skills for your child. You can theme it for different seasons, holidays, or events such as Mother’s Day.

How to make it: Simply cut out the centre of a paper plate, and stick either colourful tissue paper or colourful crepe paper around the plate. (these types of paper are soft, easy to cut and give a cute textured look.)

Materials Needed:

• Paper plate
• Glue
• Coloured construction paper, tissue paper, crepe paper.
• Stickers or crayons (optional)

Tip: Let your child tear the paper themselves—it’s great for building fine motor skills.

3. Paper plate Bugs

These paper plate crafts are great for when you want to welcome in the Spring season. It’s a fun way for your toddlers to learn about spring animals, while imaginatively transforming an ordinary paper plate into their favourite bug.

How to make a bug: Simply paint or colour a paper plate in the colour of your preferred bug. Add googly eyes and draw in a smile. Cut out and tape pipe cleaners as antennae. Then glue on wings using construction paper or tissue. Done!

Materials Needed:

• Paper plate
• Scissors
• Markers or paint
• Glue
• Googly eyes
• Coloured construction paper
• Pipe cleaners

4. Paper Plate Noise Shakers

This easy paper plate noise shaker craft is a toddler’s favourite. It makes an attractive sound that your child will be fascinated by, just like a musical instrument. The only difference is that it’s made with a paper plate. It’s a great sensory craft for movement and rhythmic play.

How to make it: All you need to do is decorate two paper plates however you like (With crayons, paint or washi tape). Then, put some pasta in one paper plate and cover it with another. Glue them together (one on top of the other), and let your toddler shake and dance away and enjoy the sound.

Materials Needed:

• Paper plate
• Coloured Markers
• Pasta
• Glue

5. Paper Plate garden

DIY paper plate garden craft for toddlers and preschoolers.

I love this easy paper plate craft because it is a fun way to introduce and talk about springtime and flowers with your child.

How to make: Simply paint the top and bottom of the paper plate blue and green to make the sky and earth. With a green paint marker, draw squiggly lines from the centre of the plate down to the bottom to look like flower stems. Grab different coloured paper (crepe paper or coloured tissue paper), gently fold or roughly squeeze them, and stick one at the top of each squiggly line. It’s a super simple way to create a colourful garden scene—and kids love watching their flowers “bloom”!

Materials:

• Paper plates
• Washable paint or markers
• Scissors
• Glue
• Tissue paper or crepe paper

Conclusion

These easy paper plate crafts are not only fun but also provide a great way to nurture creativity, fine motor skills, and early learning. Plus, they’re a fantastic way for not-so-crafty moms to bond with their kids while keeping cleanup simple!

If you try any of these simple crafts, be sure to share your experiences and photos in the comments below.

Happy crafting!

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