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24 Easy Paper Plate Crafts For Kids

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These paper plate crafts are perfect for the little ones in your classroom. There is enough paper plate projects and activities in this roundup to complete a whole year of lesson plans. These projects are also fun to make at home for kinder kids and homeschool kids art projects. All of these kids crafts use paper plates. Paper plates are a great craft item to have on hand as within minutes you can have a craft activity ready to go. We have included our own paper plate tutorials below for a Lamb and a tree, perfect additions to your classroom craft activities ideas.

No need for anything fancy, complicated, or expensive for your kids to get creative and show off their creativity and of course their imagination. There are so many fun kids crafts you can create with a bit of paint and some cutting.

 

21 PAPER PLATE CRAFTS FOR KIDS

1. Paper Plate Easter Bunny

2. Cruz Ramirez Paper Plate Craft

3. Paper Plate Cupcake Liner Fish

4. Paper Plate Frog Craft  – Check out these books about Frogs

5. Paper Plate Fish Craft

6. Paper Plate Ladybug

7. Paper Plate Love Birds

8. Paper Plate LadyBug

9. Paper Plate Rocking Sheep

10. Paper Plate Cogsworth Craft

11. Paper Plate Heart Sewing Craft

12. Paper Plate Mayflower Ship

13. Paper Plate Puffer Fish

14. Paper Plate Owl Craft Pair this activity with these Books about Owls

15. Paper Plate Peacock Craft     Books about Peacocks

16. Paper Plate Lion Craft

17. Paper Plate Insect Sewing Craft

18. Flamingo Paper Plate Craft

19. Paper plate Jellyfish

20. Paper Plate Arctic Fox

21. Paper Plate Star Twirler

 

Paper Plate Lamb Craft is a perfect activity to pair with these books

 

Sheep Dog and Sheep Sheep: Baaad Hair Day 

Go To Sheep 

Lambslide 

The Sheep Who Hatched an Egg

 

Instructions

Paper plate

Cotton balls

Quick dry tacky glue or school glue

Spring Lamb Template File (below)

 

Print the Spring Lamb Template file of your choosing.

 

If printing with cutting machine, upload the correct file to your software. Resize the images to fit 6 ½ inches wide and 11 inches long. Select to print and cut. Be aware that the SVG and EPS files are in black and white. If you choose to print in color, you will need to set those colors within your software manually.

Allow children to create the Spring Lamb by gluing cotton balls to the paper plate. Then, add the paper layers to create the ears and face. 

This kids craft tutorial shows you how to make a tree using a paper plate, perfect for lesson plants and book activities.

Paper plate

Green crepe paper

Brown construction paper

Quick dry tacky glue or school glue

Pair this kid craft activity with some children’s books about trees

Cut brown construction paper into a tree trunk and attach it on the back of the paper plate with glue.

On the front of the paper plate, use glue to attach long ribbons of crepe paper.

All to dry completely before playing or displaying.

 

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Have you read?

Best Sewing Machine for Quilting Beginners: Your No-Stress Buying Guide

beginner's-quilting-sewing-machine-guide

My first quilting sewing machine was a $50 Black Friday special that literally smoked when I tried to quilt a twin-size top. (RIP, little guy.) After testing 23 machines (and surviving two more meltdowns), I finally cracked the code to finding the perfect beginner quilting machine—without wasting money on features you don’t need yet.

Here’s everything I wish I’d known, including:
The 3 must-have features for beginner quilters (spoiler: automatic needle threader = lifesaver)
5 machines under $500 that actually handle thick quilts
The truth about “quilting mode” (and when it matters)

What Makes a Sewing Machine “Good for Quilting”?

Non-Negotiables for Beginners

  • Throat Space: At least 7 inches (so your quilt doesn’t get stuck)
  • Walking Foot Included: Prevents fabric layers from shifting
  • Drop Feed Dogs: For free-motion quilting later

Nice-to-Have Perks

  • Speed Control: Because quilting a king-size in “rabbit mode” = regrets
  • Needle Up/Down: Crucial for precise pivots at corners
  • LED Lighting: Spotting seams under dim light = no more “mystery stitches”

2. The Best Machines Under $500 (Tested on Real Quilts)

1. Brother PQ1500SL ($479)

  • Why Beginners Love It:
    • 16-inch throat space (fits bulky quilts)
    • Straight stitch only (no confusing dials)
    • Industrial motor handles denim + quilt batting
  • Watch Out: No fancy stitches (but do you really need 200 decorative options?)

2. Janome 3160QDC ($449)

  • Best For: Quilters who want some embroidery flair
    • 60 stitches (great for quilted gifts)
    • One-handed needle threader (no squinting!)
    • Automatic thread cutter = fewer thread nests

3. Juki TL-2010Q ($499)

  • The “Grow With You” Pick
    • Professional-grade straight stitches
    • Knee lifter (hands-free presser foot lifting)
    • Heavy-duty but quiet

Pro Tip: Watch for Joann’s 50% off coupons—they work on these!

3. The “Don’t Waste Your Money” List

Overkill for Beginners

  • $1,000+ Machines: Unless you’re quilting daily, start smaller
  • Heavy Industrial Models: Your kitchen table will protest

Too Basic

  • Mini Machines: Can’t handle batting + fabric layers
  • Vintage Singers: Adorable but often need $200 in tune-ups

4. Your First Quilting Project: Start Here!

Pair your new machine with:

My #1 Advice: Practice on placemats first—less pressure than a queen-size masterpiece.