A collection of 25 simple paper plate crafts featuring free printable templates to enjoy with children throughout every season, holiday and day of the year.
Paper Plate Crafts
I’ve always loved paper plate crafts because they’re easy to make and provide countless creative possibilities.
One benefit of choosing paper plates for crafts is that they’re inexpensive and easy to find.
In addition, their sturdy material makes them ideal for small hands ready to create.
Best of all? I’ve gathered an incredible selection of craft projects with free printables, so the crafting process is simple and enjoyable.
From bright spring blossoms to festive Christmas ornaments, these ideas include seasonal projects as well as timeless crafts suitable for any day of the year.
So collect your paper plates and step into a world of imagination – without spending much money or following complicated instructions!
Supplies:
Below are several materials you may need for these paper plate projects with free printable templates. Be sure to select each title or image to view the full supply list and detailed instructions.
Paper Plate Veggie Garden
Paper plate veggie garden
If you want an imaginative way to encourage your little ones to enjoy vegetables, this charming project could be just the thing.
This sweet paper plate vegetable garden is ideal for gardening families or anyone hoping to inspire a selective eater to try more greens.
It’s an easy project – with only a paper plate and some yarn, you can make a cheerful little garden right at your craft table.
With three bright vegetables—carrots, beets and onions—this activity brings plenty of fun and may even inspire healthier eating choices.
It’s also an enjoyable opportunity for children to practice their fine motor abilities!
Paper Plate Unicorn
Paper plate unicorn
Here’s a magical surprise for unicorn lovers everywhere—a colorful paper plate unicorn craft that’s wonderfully fun to make!
Begin by painting a paper plate pink or selecting any shade you prefer.
Next, pick yarn strands in any colors you like to create a bright rainbow mane.
After that, make the curling horn and attach it to the top of the plate to finish the legendary creature.
What’s the easiest way to achieve the perfect outline?
Simply use the convenient free printable, tracing the unicorn shape onto the plate and the horn onto cardstock.
It’s an easy, tidy project that adds a little enchantment to your creative time.
Paper Plate Day and Night
Day and night craft
This entertaining educational activity helps children understand the difference between day and night.
We used a simple paper plate to represent both the bright sun and sleepy moon.
With a quick spin, children can watch daytime change into nighttime.
This learning activity is not only amusing; it also helps kids discover the natural patterns of the world around them.
It’s also incredibly easy to assemble – children will enjoy creating it just as much as they enjoy playing with it.
Paper Plate Flower Garden
Paper plate flower garden craft
This paper plate flower garden project is a wonderful way to add a splash of color to any space!
Start with a strong paper plate and use your creativity with paint to design a colorful garden backdrop.
Next comes the most enjoyable step – weaving yarn through the lower part of the plate to represent grass.
Finish by using the free printable to cut out lovely flower designs and arrange them to create your blooming work of art.
It’s a cheerful project for a dreary afternoon, and children will adore combining painting with fine motor practice.
Paper Plate Birdhouse Craft
Paper plate birdhouse craft
Invite a little outdoor inspiration inside with this entertaining paper plate birdhouse project.
Begin by painting the plate with lively colors, then cut the birdhouse design from the included free template.
Once the tiny house is fastened to the plate, the real enchantment starts.
Secure the adorable bird to a craft stick for an engaging hands-on activity.
Children will have a wonderful time guiding the bird toward its house while inventing countless tales during play.
This easy project brings a little charm and imagination to every crafting session.
Paper Plate Swaying Pirate Ship Craft
Swaying pirate ship
Ahoy, me hearties!
For little adventurers who imagine sailing across the open seas and setting off on pirate quests, making a rocking pirate boat from a paper plate is sure to spark their creativity.
All that’s required is a paper plate for the durable boat, along with paint and paper.
Using the included template, they can snip out pirate flags and sails, then rock across make-believe waves while hunting for treasure and adventure throughout the living room!
Paper Plate Seafaring Boat Craft
Paper plate seafaring boat
There’s something wonderful about how this paper plate boat project evokes a refreshing day spent beside the water.
With the complimentary printable and straightforward directions, recreating this scene is easy.
Begin by picking up a paper plate and coating it in blue paint.
Afterward, weave yarn back and forth along the plate’s lower edge to form soft, rolling waves.
Next, cut a sweet little boat and a glowing sun from the printable template.
Arrange them perfectly on your blue sea, and voila – you’ve made a charming ocean scene sure to encourage imaginative stories.
Paper Plate Batman Activity
Paper plate Batman
A young superhero in the house will have a fantastic time making this Batman project.
Coat a paper plate with blue paint to create the familiar nighttime sky over Gotham City.
Next, trim the black skyline from the free template and glue it carefully onto the plate.
Of course, Batman wouldn’t be complete without his famous emblem.
Cut out the symbol as well and fasten it to a craft stick.
This is the exciting part for kids, who can sweep Batman’s signal across the homemade skyline.
Paper Plate Captain America Shield Project
Captain America shield project
Show your courageous side by creating a Captain America shield.
Collect a paper plate along with red, white and blue tissue paper.
Arrange the tissue paper layers in classic Captain America style until the shield looks worthy of the legendary hero.
However, no shield is complete without its star. Take the free printable template and use it to make the ideal centerpiece.
Set the star in the middle of the shield and see your project become a symbol of justice.
This activity is not merely a craft; it gives children hours of imaginative entertainment.
Paper Plate Rainy Day Craft
Paper plate rainy day
Springtime and the imaginative projects it inspires are favorites of mine, which is why I’m excited to share this paper plate rain activity.
It’s an ideal project to enjoy while discussing the familiar saying, “April showers bring May flowers,” with young children.
A bright rainbow between two cheerful clouds gives this craft plenty of color.
The most enjoyable part?
String yarn rain beneath it, then hang small paper raindrops made with the free printable provided.
It’s a lovely combination of creativity and learning that also brings a happy spring atmosphere to any space!
Paper Plate Outdoor Adventure Craft
Paper plate outdoor adventure craft
Invite your little adventurers to enjoy a hands-on journey with this interactive camping project made from a paper plate.
Whether it’s a warm summer afternoon, a camp activity, or a day at home, this project brings the beauty of nature indoors and encourages creativity.
Picture a snug tent beside a tree as the setting changes gradually from daylight to nighttime.
Use the free printable to lead you through this simple project, guaranteed to entertain campers of every age.
Paper Plate Campfire Craft
Campfire made from a paper plate
Bring your young campers together to make a warm and inviting paper plate campfire they can enjoy inside.
To begin, collect the supplies – a paper plate, orange yarn, adhesive, paper, and the free printable I created for you.
Children will have a wonderful time sliding the marshmallow across their make-believe fire.
With its easy design and hands-on element, this craft encourages imaginative play during summer camp or a family craft evening at home.
Paper Plate Apple Basket Craft
Apple basket made from a paper plate
Crafting while learning is one of my favorite combinations, and this apple basket project demonstrates it beautifully.
Besides being a great fall activity, it also serves as an entertaining educational resource.
As preschool and kindergarten children weave the yarn into the basket pattern, they’ll give their fine motor abilities an enjoyable workout.
Begin with an ordinary paper plate, add some yarn, and soon you’ll have a charming miniature basket.
Best of all, three apples in different colors are included for little hands to ‘pick’ and put inside the basket.
It’s simple, enjoyable, and educational – just the kind of craft children love!
Paper Plate Color Changing Apple Craft
Color-changing apple made from a paper plate
I enjoy discovering fresh ways to capture young children’s attention, and this color-changing paper plate apple project does exactly that.
Children can interact with it by changing the apple’s shade from red, to yellow, and then to green.
Along with looking appealing, this project offers a hands-on, playful method for teaching children about colors and how they change.
All you require are two paper plates, paint, and the free craft printable.
Twist the plate and watch the apple shift from one color to another.
It makes an enjoyable educational activity for a wet day or a peaceful afternoon spent crafting.
Paper Plate Penguin Craft
Penguin made from a paper plate
This adorable penguin project requires only a paper plate and yarn, which you’ll weave into a belly resembling that of a real penguin.
Even better, I’ve included a free printable to make each step incredibly simple.
This paper plate penguin makes a wonderful indoor craft for chilly, snowy days!
Paper Plate Lorax Craft
Lorax made from a paper plate
I’m constantly searching for imaginative children’s crafts, and a paper plate Lorax is a wonderful way to mark Dr. Seuss’s birthday.
The Lorax remains a much-loved character, and creating his recognizable mustache with tissue paper is especially fun.
As you and your children cut, paste, and paint, the environmentally friendly character will come to life.
The free printable includes all the remaining pieces you’ll need, keeping this project simple and enjoyable for everyone.
Get out your paper plates and begin this cheerful craft!
Paper Plate Cactus Valentine Wreath
Valentine’s Day cactus wreath
Create a homemade cactus wreath for Valentine’s Day featuring the fun-loving message “Free Hugs.”
It’s amazing that such an attractive decoration can be made with basic supplies, including a paper plate.
Begin by removing the middle of the plate to create the wreath foundation.
Shape your cactus using green construction paper.
After gluing the cheerful cactus onto the plate, write the welcoming message below it with a dark marker or paint.
This playful and charming project brings a prickly touch of excitement to the usual Valentine’s Day craft collection.
Paper Plate Valentine Heart Craft
Paper plate hearts
I’m always delighted to discover fresh ideas for traditional crafts, and this paper plate Valentine heart project is no different.
Begin with a plain paper plate, then paint it in a shade you love – perhaps a bright red or delicate pink.
Once the paint has fully dried, print the free template and cut out the heart shape.
Then, carefully trace the design in the middle of the painted plate.
Now the enjoyable part begins.
Gather some yarn and beads – I adore how they bring a hint of shimmer.
Weave the yarn through the holes around the heart’s edges, adding beads along the way.
This creates a gorgeous heart made from yarn and beads at the center of the plate.
It’s an easy but lovely project that brings a special handmade feel to Valentine’s Day.
Paper Plate St Patrick Wreath Craft
St Patrick’s Day wreath
Making a cheerful wreath from an ordinary paper plate is wonderfully simple.
Begin by removing the center of the plate so you have a wreath-shaped foundation.
Next, embellish it with a green-paper four-leaf clover to add a lucky accent.
Place a small pot of gold at the bottom to complete the design.
It’s wonderful to watch these basic supplies become a festive celebration of Irish luck!
Paper Plate Easter Egg Craft
Easter egg craft
Think of the excitement of transforming an ordinary paper plate into a colorful Easter egg!
It’s an ideal activity for preschoolers, allowing them to strengthen fine motor skills while handling yarn.
Simply download the free template, choose an assortment of yarn, and begin making your own paper plate Easter egg.
They’ll add cheer to every space and will certainly delight the children!
Paper Plate Easter Egg Craft
Easter egg basket
Kids will love placing bright paper Easter eggs inside a basket they have carefully made themselves!
Start with a durable paper plate, then weave yarn through it to form a warm, nest-like basket.
After that, use the free template to make the colorful paper eggs.
Paper Plate Gnome Ornaments
Paper plate gnome ornaments
These paper plate gnome decorations are wonderfully adorable and remarkably simple to create.
They pair a painted paper plate hat with a full beard made from thick yarn.
A free craft template helps bring the entire project together.
Paper Plate Gnome Craft
Paper plate gnome craft
I enjoy bringing a playful element to holiday projects with children, and creating homemade paper plate gnomes is especially fun.
With bright hats and yarn beards, these cheerful gnomes are sure to become a favorite Christmas activity.
Using paper plates, colorful paper, and a small amount of yarn, you can make these charming characters quickly.
Paper Plate Grinch’s Heart Craft
Paper plate Grinch craft
Here’s an incredibly easy way to bring a little Whoville magic home with a paper plate Grinch’s heart project.
All you need is a basic paper plate, red yarn, and a dab of green paint.
There’s no need to stress over the artwork; a free printable template makes the activity effortless.
Begin by covering the plate in a lively Grinch-green shade.
After it dries, follow the template while threading red yarn to create the Grinch’s famously tiny heart.
Before long, you’ll have a playful decoration that is sure to make your heart grow three sizes!
Paper Plate Christmas Tree Craft
Christmas tree craft
I truly enjoy embracing the holiday season with simple projects that young children can help create.
This Christmas tree made with yarn and a paper plate is just the thing.
It’s not merely a craft; it becomes a piece of handmade seasonal decoration.
Imagine it making a classroom nook feel cozier or adding a cheerful touch to the living room.