20+ Paper Plate Crafts For Kids With Colorful Animal And Seasonal Fun
This roundup highlights playful paper plate crafts for kids that are easy to recognize and fun to recreate with simple cut-paper shapes.
Each project leans on bold colors, clear silhouettes, and layered details so the finished craft reads well at a glance.
Use these ideas as a starting point for animal faces, seasonal scenes, and cheerful display pieces that suit home or classroom crafting.
Orange Paper Plate Fox Face
This fox craft uses an orange plate as a bold face base with white accents that make the features easy to spot.
The centered muzzle, matching ears, and simple eyes create a clean animal face that looks balanced and child-friendly.
What You Need
- Orange paper plate
- White cardstock
- Black and white paper circles
- Scissors
- Glue
How to Make It
- Cut white cardstock for the ears, cheeks, and muzzle, then prepare the eye and nose pieces.
- Glue the pieces onto the orange plate so the face stays centered and symmetrical.
- Use child-safe scissors and glue when crafting with younger kids.
Purple Paper Plate Owl Craft
This owl craft combines a purple base with teal and orange accents for a bright, kid-friendly bird design.
The oversized eyes and layered feather pieces give the owl strong character while the ear tufts help define the top edge.
What You Need
- Purple paper plate
- Teal and purple paper ovals
- White and black paper circles
- Orange cardstock
- Glue
How to Make It
- Attach the eyes and beak to the plate, then add feather-like paper ovals across the chest and wings.
- Finish by adding pointed ear tufts at the top and side wing layers for the owl outline.
- Keep small cutouts away from very young children.
Yellow Paper Plate Chick
The chick design uses a sunny yellow plate and a few bright paper details to create a cheerful spring animal.
Its centered eyes, tiny beak, and orange feet keep the craft simple while the wings add enough shape to make it feel complete.
What You Need
- Yellow paper plate
- Yellow cardstock
- Orange cardstock
- Black and white paper circles
- Glue
How to Make It
- Glue the eyes and beak onto the yellow plate, then add the side wings, feet, and small top tuft.
- Place the feet along the lower edge so the craft reads as upright and complete.
- Use blunt scissors for small paper parts.
Rainbow Paper Plate Fish
This fish craft stands out with a bright rainbow body, orange head, and bold fins that make the silhouette lively.
The overlapping scale circles build texture across the plate, while the large tail and simple face keep the shape easy to read.
What You Need
- Orange paper plate
- Colored paper circles
- Blue cardstock
- Yellow cardstock
- Black-and-white eye pieces
How to Make It
- Attach the rainbow paper circles in overlapping rows across the plate body.
- Add the blue fins, yellow tail, and simple eye-and-smile face on the orange front section.
- Watch for sharp points when cutting fin shapes.
Green Paper Plate Turtle Craft
The turtle craft uses a round green base and matching body parts to create a straightforward underwater animal shape.
The shell markings are the main visual feature, while the head and flippers help the craft read as a turtle at once.
What You Need
- Green paper plate
- Green cardstock
- Blue-green paint or marker
- Black marker
- Glue
How to Make It
- Draw or mark shell sections on the plate, then add the head and flippers around the edge.
- Finish with small black eyes and spot marks on the head and flippers.
- Use non-toxic paint or markers for kids.
Black Paper Plate Spider
This spider craft uses a dark round plate and arched legs to create a bold shape with playful purple details.
The centered eyes and smile keep the spider friendly, while the spread legs make the design feel wide and dynamic.
What You Need
- Black paper plate
- Black paper strips
- Googly eyes
- Purple paper circles and smile
- Glue
How to Make It
- Use the black plate as the spider body.
- Fold and glue black paper strips around the edges for legs.
- Glue on googly eyes, purple spots, and a curved purple mouth.
- Use child-safe glue.
- Cut paper strips carefully.
Brown Paper Plate Bear Face
This bear face uses warm brown paper and cream highlights to create a friendly, easy-to-recognize animal craft.
The round ears, centered muzzle, and pink cheeks build a balanced expression with a soft look.
What You Need
- Brown paper plate
- Brown and cream paper
- Black paper or marker
- Pink paper circles
- Glue
How to Make It
- Use a brown paper plate as the face base.
- Cut and glue on ear circles, cream inner ears, and a cream muzzle.
- Add black eyes, nose, and mouth plus pink cheeks.
- Supervise scissor use.
- Avoid small loose parts for very young children.
Orange Paper Plate Pumpkin
This pumpkin craft turns a paper plate into a simple fall shape with a strong orange body and green top details.
The visible plate rim helps suggest pumpkin ribs, while the stem, leaves, and vine give the project a finished seasonal look.
What You Need
- Orange paper plate
- Green paper
- Green strip for curl
- Orange paint
- Glue
How to Make It
- Paint the paper plate orange if needed and let the rim show as ribs.
- Cut a green stem, leaves, and a curled strip for the vine, then glue them onto the top edge.
- Use non-toxic paint.
- Cut curled strips carefully.
Paper Plate Peacock Display
This peacock craft uses layered blue, green, and teal paper shapes to create a colorful standing bird display.
The fan-shaped tail makes the biggest statement, while the upright neck and eye spots keep the composition balanced.
What You Need
- Blue paper plate
- Blue paper for head and neck
- Green and teal paper
- Yellow and blue paper circles
- Glue
How to Make It
- Use the blue paper plate as the peacock body and add a blue neck and head.
- Cut feather ovals in green and teal and glue them behind the body in a fan.
- Add eye spots, a crest, beak, and feet.
- Supervise cutting many small feather pieces.
- Use safe adhesive for layered paper.
White Paper Plate Bunny Face
This bunny face craft keeps the palette light and simple, using a white base with pink accents for a soft look.
The tall ears make the silhouette easy to recognize, while the pom-pom nose adds a playful finishing touch.
What You Need
- White paper plate
- White and pink paper
- Black marker
- Pink pom-pom
- Glue
How to Make It
- Use a white paper plate as the bunny face and attach two tall ear shapes to the top.
- Glue pink inner ear pieces inside the white ears.
- Draw the face and glue on a pink pom-pom nose.
- Use child-safe glue.
- Avoid choking hazards for small pom-poms.
Paper Plate Penguin Craft
This penguin craft relies on a strong black-and-white contrast with a few orange accents to keep the design clear.
The centered face panel and side flippers create a balanced body shape that is easy for kids to assemble.
What You Need
- Black paper plate
- White paper
- Orange paper
- Black paper
- Glue
- Scissors
How to Make It
- Use the black plate as the penguin body and glue on a white oval face.
- Add black eyes, an orange triangle beak, orange feet, and black side flippers.
- Use child-safe scissors and glue.
Rainbow Paper Plate Hot Air Balloon
This hanging balloon craft turns a paper plate into a bright rainbow display with a basket underneath.
The vertical stripes and centered suspension make the balloon look cheerful and easy to display.
What You Need
- Paper plate
- Rainbow paint or markers
- Twine or string
- Small brown paper cup or paper basket
- Glue or tape
How to Make It
- Color the paper plate with rainbow vertical stripes.
- Punch or cut two lower holes, thread twine through them, and attach a small basket below.
- Punch holes carefully.
- Supervise string handling for young children.
Sunflower Paper Plate Craft
This sunflower craft uses a dark center and bright petals to make a classic flower shape that feels bold and cheerful.
The radial petal arrangement and simple stem help the flower stand out clearly in a kid-made paper version.
What You Need
- Paper plate
- Yellow paper
- Green paper
- Brown paint or brown paper
- Glue
- Scissors
How to Make It
- Make the plate center dark brown and glue yellow petal shapes all around the rim.
- Add a green stem and two green leaves below the flower.
- Use scissors carefully when cutting petal points.
Paper Plate Lion Face Craft
This lion face craft uses a sunny yellow base and a wide orange mane to create a bold animal portrait.
The mane frames the face like a halo, while the centered eyes and nose keep the expression friendly and readable.
What You Need
- Yellow paper plate
- Orange paper
- Black paper
- White paper or googly eyes
- Glue
- Scissors
How to Make It
- Use the yellow plate as the lion face and glue orange strips evenly around the rim for the mane.
- Add ears, eyes, nose, whiskers, and a smiling mouth to finish the face.
- Keep small eye pieces away from very young children.
Red Paper Plate Crab Craft
This crab craft uses a red plate and matching paper pieces to create a lively seaside animal with a strong silhouette.
The raised eyes and spread claws make the shape easy to recognize, while the curved legs add movement.
What You Need
- Red paper plate
- Red paper
- Black paper
- White paper
- Glue
- Scissors
How to Make It
- Use the red plate as the crab body and add eye stalks, claws, and curved legs around it.
- Finish with round eyes and a simple smiling mouth.
- Use caution with scissors and small eye pieces.
Paper Plate Polar Bear Face
This polar bear face uses a white plate and a few simple cut-paper details to create a soft winter animal.
The small ears, rounded cheeks, and large nose keep the expression neat and centered.
What You Need
- White paper plate
- White and pink paper circles
- Black paper
- Glue
How to Make It
- Place and glue the ear circles at the top edge of the plate.
- Add eyes, nose, mouth, and pink cheeks to the front.
- Use child-safe scissors for paper cutting.
- Keep small pieces away from very young children.
Pink Paper Plate Pig Face
This pig craft uses one color family for a soft, playful look that is easy for kids to recognize and assemble.
The rounded snout, pointed ears, and small cheek circles create a simple face with clear, friendly proportions.
What You Need
- Pink paper plate
- Pink paper triangles and circles
- Black paper
- Glue
How to Make It
- Glue the triangular ears to the top of the plate.
- Layer the snout, eyes, cheeks, and mouth on the plate front.
- Use scissors carefully when cutting triangles and circles.
- Supervise young children with glue and small eye pieces.
Blue Paper Plate Whale Craft
This whale craft uses a curved blue body and a few small paper details to create a playful sea animal shape.
The open tail cutout and water spout give the piece movement, while the face stays minimal so the body shape stands out.
What You Need
- Blue paper plate
- Blue paper scraps
- Black and white paper
- Glue
- Scissors
How to Make It
- Cut the plate into a whale-like curve with an open tail notch.
- Glue on the water spout, fin, tail, eye, and smile.
- Use scissors carefully for curved cuts.
- Keep glued paper parts flat until secure.
Green Paper Plate Frog Craft
This frog craft uses a bright green plate and bold facial features to create a playful standing animal.
The bulging eyes, red mouth, and wide feet help the frog look expressive while staying simple to build.
What You Need
- Green paper plate
- Green paper circles and strips
- White and black paper circles
- Red paper
- Glue
How to Make It
- Attach the eyes to the top edge and add spots across the plate.
- Glue on the mouth, legs, and feet so the frog can stand.
- Cut feet and leg shapes with care.
- Use non-toxic glue for children’s crafting.
Rainbow Paper Plate Wall Art
This rainbow display uses curved paper plate pieces and bright color bands to create a cheerful decorative craft.
The arched shape and cloud ends make the piece feel balanced and easy to use as shelf decor or a classroom display.
What You Need
- Paper plate halves or curved strips
- Colored paper or paint in rainbow colors
- Cotton balls
- Glue
- Scissors
How to Make It
- Arrange and glue colored arc bands in rainbow order.
- Attach cotton-ball clouds to both ends and let the piece stand upright.
- Use scissors carefully for curved rainbow pieces.
- Avoid loose cotton near very young children.
Easy Paper Plate Projects To Try Next
These paper plate crafts for kids show how a simple round base can become a wide range of animals, seasonal shapes, and colorful display pieces.
By mixing cut-paper details with bright color choices, each project stays approachable while still looking distinctive and fun.
Pick a favorite design, gather a few basic supplies, and turn a plain plate into something cheerful and creative.