Spring Paper Plate Craft
There is lots of painting and cutting and sticking on this spring paper plate craft - always a sign of a good craft! The children will enjoy moving the butterflies and bees around when the craft is complete.
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Paper plates are cheap to buy and easy to store - making them an easy choice for short notice crafting in the house or for group or classroom crafts. You can see how much we like using paper plates by the many, many paper plate crafts we have below.
There is lots of painting and cutting and sticking on this spring paper plate craft - always a sign of a good craft! The children will enjoy moving the butterflies and bees around when the craft is complete.
Quick to make but great fun for younger children, this apple collage makes a super autumn or healthy eating craft. Make sure to protect your area and your child, because things might get a bit sticky!
This delightful birds nest collage can be enjoyed by all ages. Younger children can be given the shapes pre-cut and can take charge of decorating the paper plate nest and and adding wiggle eyes and beaks to the baby birds.
This birds nest crafts makes use of simple craft cupboard supplies like paper plates and tissue paper to produce a fun craft for kids, suitable for spring or summer. Add some little eggs to turn this into an Easter craft, too...
Use a paper plate and some craft cupboard bits and pieces to make a cute bunny mask - perfect for Easter!
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Here's a fun paper plate craft idea for toddlers and younger children on Bonfire Night (or any fireworks themed holiday). Be prepared to get a little sticky!
Here's a simple paper plate Chinese dragon mask craft - something to get even the youngest children involved in Chinese New Year and Year of the Dragon. Why not hold your own Chinese New Year parade when you have your mask completed?
Here's a lovely idea for some Chinese New Year crafting - which is also useful! Children can work out the next animal of the Chinese Zodiac in advance, or check the signs of friends and family! And if you choose, you can get them involved in the maths of it all, too!
Here's a very quick and easy cornucopia craft for kids at Thanksgiving - fun for preschoolers.
We've made this count down wheel craft for Advent (an easy Advent Calendar craft which you can make to suit your own family's traditions) but of course you could adapt it for any important occasion.
Use a paper plate and some basic craft supplies to make this lovely cow mask. We love this sort of activity because it gives your child fun of making the mask, and then wearing it too!
It's always fun to have an end-product that moves after a crafty session, and this diving dolphin activity fits the bill nicely! Younger children will enjoy seeing their dolphin diving in and out of the waves...
Scrunching up tissue paper and gluing it somewhere is always a successful craft for little ones, and we think they will be thrilled with the results in this dolphin collage.
This simple craft is fun for kids of all ages. You can use the Easter Bunnies to decorate your house or classroom, as large puppets (attach a wooden spoon to the back with strong sticky tape), or as masks.
You can tell this gorgeous elephant mask is of an Indian elephant because of his colourful head-dress and his ears! Fun for kids to make and wear!
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Sarah B and her young children enjoy some fun and simple animal crafts in this guest blog post, and make a lion and sloth!
This is an interesting way to create a truly stunning picture of the harvest moon against a sunset sky, using tissue paper strips. Even the youngest children will enjoy doing this, or you could have a younger child make the moon while an older child creates the background.
Making this horse mask involves all sorts of crafty activities that younger children will enjoy - painting paper plates, cutting, sticking, and of course wearing the mask at the end!
Turn a paper plate and some scraps of paper into a spooky Jack-o-Lantern mask this Halloween. The kids can have great fun making their own ghastly or funny faces.
This is such a fun craft to make and it is perfect for children that are practising their scissor skills.
Here's a fun, colourful llama craft activity that won't use too many resources. And who could resist the lovely end product! Why not make a herd and put them up on display?
Ancient Greek soldiers were also known as Hoplites. They carried a large shield often made of wood. These were painted by the individual soldiers to their own design. Our hoplite shield below is made out of a paper plate and some imagination!
The finished card is so pretty, I wish our photos did it justice! Swirling the paints around on the paper plate to make the marble effect on this Valentine's Day card is great fun, and it does mean that the paint is relatively easily contained.
Here is another way for your children to make some noise this Mardi Gras!
Kids can have fun making this Ox mask for Chinese New Year - it is simple, effective and fun!
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Kids are sure to enjoy making this panda mask. All you need is a white paper plate and a few simple supplies from the craft cupboard. Not only is the completed mask fun to wear, but it looks great on display, too.
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Transform some simple supplies into this lovely paper plate angel craft - it's a quick and easy Christmas craft for younger children.
Perfect for summer, this easy bee craft for preschoolers is effective on display, whether there is one bumblebee or a whole swarm!
Quick and easy and great for younger children, this paper plate beetle is a super minibeasts craft idea and a useful way of teaching legs and pincers. Instructions below. Also useful as a scarab beetle for an Ancient Egypt theme.
Here's a quick way for kids to make a paper plate castanet - perfect for celebrations (such as New Year's Eve or birthdays) or for a kitchen band!
This is such a simple idea but it looks almost good enough to eat! Children will enjoy making this Christmas pudding craft and displaying it proudly.
Turn a paper plate and some feathers into a beautiful cockatoo, perfect to put out on display as part of a bird or Aussie theme, or just to make because ... well, why not!
This gorgeous cow craft is simple to make using a paper plate as its base. Younger children might need some help cutting out the shapes - or you could prepare them in advance and leave them to do the sticking.
Have a go at this fun paper plate crown craft whenever you need a royal prop and the kids want to dress themselves up!
Kids can transform some basic craft supplies into this super paper plate diplodocus. We had fun with the bubble wrap painting, too! Doesn't he look great?
Have fun with this simple paper plate dog mask craft, which you could adapt in many ways. How about an all-black mask for a labrador? Or a combination of black and white for a dalmation?
Cut and assemble three paper plates into a lovely 3-dimensional flying dove, ready for the kids to hang in the home or classroom.
Here's a fun elephant craft for little kids, involving paper plates, cutting and sticking! Why not create a herd of elephants for the classroom or kitchen?
Quick and simple, this Halloween craft uses a paper plate, scissors and pen to produce a fun ghost to put out on display.
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Turn two paper plates into a goat - with the help of some paint, scissors and a child or two! This fun craft is perfect for a farmyard theme or for Year of the Goat.
Our paper plate snitch craft couldn't be simpler. Why not make golden snitch plates to eat off at a Harry Potter party?
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Our paper plate goldfish is a quick and easy craft to do with younger children and a school of them makes a lovely display at any time of year - but they might be particularly appropriate for Chinese New Year or your China topic.
This super paper plate goldfish bowl looks great displayed on the noticeboard - or fridge! The 3D effect is particularly fun for kids.
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Here's an idea for a quick paper plate harvest basket that the children can paint and cut out. Fill it with our vegetable clipart!
Paper plate crafts are always popular, and this paper plate hedgehog combines painting, cutting and sticking, so it will hopefully be no exception!
Paper plate crafts are always popular, but we must warn you that this paper plate horse is slightly trickier than most of the paper plate crafts at Activity Village! Younger children will need help drawing and cutting the head and leg shapes, and perhaps with some of the sticking too.
This is a simple craft for younger children which looks really effective on display. I'm sure they will be thrilled with the results!
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This paper plate jellyfish craft is great for fine motor control - specifically practising threading and tying knots!
This cute paper plate ladybug craft is fun for little kids to paint and put together, and looks great on display.
Who would have believed that a simple white paper plate could look so beautiful, and provide such a fun (and inexpensive) weaving craft for the kids? I would love to see a whole wall of these on display...
This is a simple technique which involves a paper plate (one of our favourite crafting ingredients!) and lots of colourful paint. You will need some patience while the "tree" dries!
This is a simple craft idea for making an old fashioned sailing ship or Mayflower, using a paper plate and some lolly sticks. You can make two ships from one paper plate.
Imagine this paper plate monkey on display on the wall - or maybe a whole "flock" of them! It's such a fun and simple monkey craft for little kids, I hope you will have a go.
Here's a fun use for a paper plate - a monkey mask! Cutting out the eyes the way we have makes this a really easy mask for younger children to play with.
This simple craft makes a colourful wall display and provides an opportunity for youngsters to practise cutting skills and colour recognition.
You just need three paper plates and some craft cupboard supplies to make this gorgeous paper plate owl!
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Here's a fun way to make an Ox for Chinese New Year! This ox makes a super wall display. You could mount him onto a large piece of red paper, as red is a lucky Chinese colour.
Simple but adorable, this paper plate panda is made in no time with some simple cutting and sticking. A great panda craft project for younger kids.
The peacock is the national bird of India. As you will see from the photo below, you can make a glorious peacock with a paper plate and some other craft cupboard supplies!
This paper plate pig is fun for the kids to make and looks great on display. You will need to divert children's attention while the pink paint dries, or perhaps paint the plates in advance.
Here's a simple paper plate poppy craft that toddlers and younger children can enjoy. A display of these would look pretty for Remembrance Day, or perhaps in the summer.
Turn 3 paper plates into a great poppy display for Remembrance Day! A quick and easy Remembrance Day craft to do with younger children.
Young children love cutting and sticking so this simple craft is bound to be a hit. Leave it plain for harvest or add a black face to turn it into a Jack O'Lantern for Halloween.
Here's a fun paper plate rabbit craft to make with the children, fun for younger kids at Easter or Chinese New Year 2011 (Year of the Rabbit).
Here's a quick paper plate racket craft idea for little kids. Once made, just scrunch up some paper to make small balls and you'll be able to play tennis inside whatever the weather!
Make this gorgeous paper plate robin - it's a quick and easy craft for Christmas or a wildlife or bird theme, perfect for preschoolers.
Isn't this Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer handsome? He makes a lovely Christmas display and is an easy Christmas craft for all ages.
Our cute paper plate scarecrow craft includes all the elements loved by young children: painting, cutting, sticking and creating! These paper plate scarecrows look wonderful on display, too.
This cute paper plate scrunchy penguin is fun to make - scrunching and sticking the tissue paper to the paper plate gets delightfully messy and is always popular! The finished penguin is nicely textural for display, too.
This paper plate shamrock makes a satisfying kids craft for St Patrick's Day. Our favourite crafts are always ones with painting, cutting and sticking involved!
Paint and decorate a paper plate before magically transforming it with a pair or scissors into this paper plate snake mobile! This is always a popular craft with younger children.
Isn't this snowman gorgeous? Enjoy this easy winter snowman craft with your kids. They are so simple and effective, why not make a family of snow-people!
This cheerful paper plate spider involves painting, cutting, folding and sticking, so it is a great Halloween craft for younger kids. And they look great out on display, too!
This paper plate spider web is just the thing when you have a pompom spider which needs a spooky perch! Younger kids in particular will enjoy the lacing activity.
A simple dinosaur craft activity for younger children, our paper plate stegosaurus is fun to make and paint and looks great too!
Here's a fun craft for little ones, perfect for a Scottish theme. If you paint the plate first and leave it in a warm place to dry, it might even be ready by the time you have the handprints drawn and cut out.
This fun paper plate toadstool craft is useful for autumn - or a fairy theme, perhaps! Paper plate crafts are always good for your youngest children, and this one is quick and easy.
Kids can have some fun painting paper plates, cutting out shapes and gluing them together to make this cute paper plate wombat!
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This is a lovely craft which can be done with any age of child. We've used the excuse of making a mandala, which is symmetrical and repetitive in design, but you may prefer to give the kids free reign!
Here's a quick and easy paper plate penguin mask craft for little kids, fun for winter. Or dress your penguin up for Christmas with a red bow tie or ribbon!
All you need are some while paper plates, paint and patience to put together this clever phases of the moon mobile. Not only does it look great, but by the time the kids have coloured in the plates and assembled the mobile they should certainly understand how the phases of the moon work!
This lovely pig mask is simple and fun for the kids to make - and then to wear! Why not team it with our wolf mask craft and play at The Three Little Pigs?
The children will enjoy making these rainbow castanets for St Patrick's Day - remember there's a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow!
These Rainbow Streamers are a fun craft and decoration for kids to make for St Patrick's Day, when learning about rainbows, or just to decorate the classroom or home.
Isn't this rocking chick gorgeous? It's easy to make, and fun for kids to display at Easter time.
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The peacock is the national bird of India. Here is a Rocking Peacock craft that the kids will enjoy, using a paper plate and some craft cupboard supplies
This rocking rabbit craft for kids is so quick and easy to do, and really lovely to display! Make for Easter or perhaps for Chinese New Year of the Rabbit.
The robin is one of the most popular garden birds - especially with children, who love if for its red breast and its cheeky expression! Here is an unusual craft which will bring the robin out of the garden and into your house!
Turn a simple paper plate and a few bits of paper into this gorgeous rocking rooster. Younger kids will love it!
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This rocking turkey looks great on display and is fun to make for Thanksgiving or a farmyard topic. Our "rocking" bird crafts are always very popular with the kids.
This rooster mask craft makes use of materials that you will probably already have at home, and is a fun activity to do with younger kids for a farm topic or Chinese New Year. Scroll down for instructions.
Dressing up at Christmas is always fun, and this Rudolph mask is sure to be a hit with your little ones!
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We did this craft as a way of commemorating the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton - but of course you can use it for any special occasion (perhaps the birth of a new prince or princess?) All you need are some simple supplies, an event to commemorate, and your imagination...
Here is a pretty craft idea for a St Patrick's Day wreath that your children will enjoy making. Without the shamrocks it's great for Rainbow Guiders too - see ideas below.
Our Star Wreath craft idea is fun for kids of all ages to create and makes a super patriotic 4th of July door or table decoration.
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Make this wonderful styracosaurus mask with paper plates and paints and your child can be transformed into a fierce dinosaur!
Scrunching up tissue paper is always a great activity for younger children, who will also enjoy the stickiness of sticking it to the paper plate. This mobile looks colourful hung up "in the sky" and will illustrate how we change from sun in the daytime to the moon at night.
Bring a little sunshine into your home with this super easy sun handprint craft for summer! And as it involves some painting, some tracing, some cutting and some sticking, it proves a particularly popular craft for kids!
Great for the Year of the Tiger or an Indian theme - your child can pretend to be a tiger when they are wearing this ferocious mask!
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Little kids will enjoy making this tissue paper tennis ball. There's something very satisfying about scrunching the paper and sticking it down! And it looks great, too.
Kids can have fun making this simple wombat mask - and then wearing it!
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You'll need very simple supplies for this stunning woven rainbow craft, but all the kids we've tested it on really loved having a go at this and we think it looks fabulous on display. We also have a printable version of the craft instructions below.