Paper Plate and Paper Cup Crafts for Kids

"Hanging Around" Paper Plate Cat Craft - Free Craft Pattern

What you will need: Four dinner-size paper plates, card stock (heavy paper), pink paper or pink crayon or marker, and glue.

What to do:

1. Print out the patterns for the face and tongue (Large file or small file) and the patterns for the tail and back legs on to card stock (Large file or small file) and cut them out.

2. Print out the cat face pattern (Large file or small file) and use it as a template to cut a paper plate to make the cats face. Use the the pattern to cut just the ear shapes out of another paper plate for the back of the head. Glue the two paper plates together (top to top) to make the face.

3. Cut the tongue and nose from pink paper or color them pink and glue them to the face. Draw in the whiskers. Cut out the eyes and glue them on the face or draw the eyes with a marker.

4. Glue two paper plates together (top to top) to make the body. Glue the head to the body as shown. Glue on the legs, arms, and tail.

© 2006, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

"The Cow Jumped Over the Moon" Paper Plate Craft

What you will need: Two dinner-sized paper plates, card stock (Heavy Paper), crayons or markers, and glue.

What to do:

1. Draw a cow's head, legs and tail onto card stock or white construction paper. (A pattern for this craft is available to members of Danielle's Place.)
2. Cut out the patterns and color them.
3.Fold a paper plate in half to make the cows body. Glue the legs, head and tail onto the paper plate as shown.
3. Fold the other paper plate in half and cut the halves apart on the folded line. Place the two halves together top to top and glue them together around the rim of the plate. Cut out a face shape and glue the plates together just around the edge of the face.

© 2007, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Paper Plate Donkey

What you will need: Dinner-sized paper plates, paint or crayons, material, brown yarn, and glue.

What to do:

1. Before class fold the paper plates to make the donkeys. To make the head fold a paper plate almost in half as shown in the picture above.

3. Measure 3 3/4" in from the sides of the folded edge of the paper plate. Fold the sides back 3 3/4" to form the head shape as shown at the left. Glue or staple the sides together on the back.

4. To make the body fold another paper plate in half. Fold back and then forward 1 1/2" from the right-hand side of the folded edge. Then unfold and push the edge down into the folded paper plate to form the rear of the donkey. (See diagram at the right.)

5. Glue the head to the body as shown.

6. Cut out leg, tail, and ear shapes from brown construction paper and glue them to the body and head. Patterns for the legs, tail, and ears are available to members only.

7. Cut coat shapes from pieces of material, and cut brown yarn into short length for the donkey's mane.

8. In class have your children paint or color the paper plates, and glue on the ears, legs, tail, coat, and yarn.

© 2007, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Walrus Paper Plate Craft

What you will need: Two-10 1/4" paper plates, four-6 inch paper plates, two plastic spoons or straws, yarn, paint, scissors, hot melt glue and gun, black permanent marker.

What to do:

1. Glue two big plates together, top-to-top, for the body and two small plates together, top-to-top, for the head. Glue the head to the body.

2. To make the muzzle fold a small paper plate in half and then fold back the sides as shown in the diagram to the right. Glue the folded sides to the back of the plate. Push up the top, bottom part of the paper plate and glue it in place as shown in the diagram. Cut the scoop ends off two spoons and glue the spoons inside the muzzle for the tusks.

3. Glue the muzzle to the head.

4. Cut a small paper plate in half and glue the halves to the body to make fins as shown in the picture.

5. Paint the paper plates and let them dry. Add eyes and yarn to make the whiskers. Use a black marker to draw the nose.

© 2007, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Sea Otter Paper Plate Craft

What you will need: Two heavy duty dinner-sized paper plates, three-6 inch paper plates, paint, scissors, hot melt glue and gun, black permanent marker, and card stock.

What to do:

1. Glue two big plates together, top-to-top, for the body and two small plates together, top-to-top, for the head. Glue the head to the body. (You can make the sea otter a plate to hold seashells by cutting out the center of the top paper plate before gluing it to the bottom paper plate.)

2. To make the sea otter's muzzle fold a small paper plate in half and then fold back the sides as shown in the diagram to the right. Glue the folded sides to the back of the plate. Cut the bottom part of the paper plate into a mouth shape.

3. Glue the muzzle to the head.

4. Cut out arms, legs, a tail and ears, and glue them to the body as shown in the picture.

5. Paint the paper plates and let them dry. Add eyes and a nose. Cut a sea star shape from card stock and glue it to a hand of the sea otter.

© 2006, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Summertime Picnic Fun Crafts -

Add some fun to your family picnic this summer. Have a contest to see who can make the most creative creature. Provide paper plates and cups, plastic forks, knives, and spoons, googly eyes, scissors, paint, glue guns, and any other crafts supplies you can find. When your children are all finished making their creations, have them explain what they have created, and then have all your guests vote on the most creative, ugliest, cutest, scariest, etc.

Lucky Duck Paper Plate Craft

What you will need: Four dinner-sized paper plates for each duck (heavy duty is best, but the cheap ones will work), 1 snack size paper plate, orange, and yellow or white paint, hot melt glue gun or stapler, school glue, card stock, scissors, and black markers.

1. Print out the pattern for the feet, wings, and bill and cut them out. Place the feet pattern on a paper plate so that the web part of the feet are on the outer edge of the paper plate. Trace the feet pattern twice and then cut the feet out. Place the wing pattern a paper plate so that the scalloped edge is at the edge of the plate. Trace the pattern. Turn the pattern over and place it at the edge of the paper plate again, trace it, and then cut the wings out. Place the bill pattern on the paper plate so that the part connected to the head is at the edge of the paper plate. Trace the pattern and then trace it again. Cut out the bill.
2. Place a dinner size paper plate, right side up, on the table. Decide where you want the wings and feet. Staple or glue them to the top of the paper plate. (See picture.) Place another dinner-sized paper plate upside down on top of the right side up paper plate and glue or staple it on top of the plate with the feet and wings.
3. To make the head fold a snack size paper plate in half and glue it to the body of the duck as shown.
4. Paint the feet and bill orange. Paint the body and head yellow or white and let them dry.
5. Glue the bill to the head as shown in the picture.
6. Draw eyes on a piece of card stock, cut them out and glue them to the head.

© 2005, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Flat Cat - You can use this cute little cat to play a word game that teaches your children words that rhyme with "cat".  Children will love making their own flat cats to take home and help them learn to read.

What you will need: Two or three Styrofoam dinner plates or heavy duty paper plate for each cat, one small paper plate, acrylic paint, glue or staples, large paper clip, and sticky note paper or plain paper.

What to do:

1. Cut out legs, ears, and a tail from one paper plate or a Styrofoam tray. I cut the feet from around the rim of the paper plate so that they naturally bend down. Try not to have the feet and tail stick out too far.  This makes it harder to spin because the tail and legs keep bumping on things.
2. Glue or staple the legs and tail to the top of one plate. 
3. Cover that paper plate with another paper plate to form the cats body. The plates should be glued or stapled top to top.
4. Fold the small plate in half to form the cats head.  Glue ears to the head at the fold.  Glue the head to the body. 
5. Paint the cat.

© 2005, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

He Makes Me Lie Down in Green Pastures Paper Plate Sheep Craft - This craft is made from three paper plates and four 5 ounce Dixie cups.

What you will need: Two dinner sized paper plates (heavy duty is best, but the cheap ones will work), 1 snack size paper plate, white card stock or poster board, four 5 ounce Dixie cups, red and white paint, hot melt glue gun or stapler, school glue, black markers, and cotton balls.

1. Make the four legs first. Cut the side seams (the part of the cup that has been glue together) out of the cup and then squeeze the sides together rolling the sides over each other and glue them together with a hot melt glue gun. If you don't have a glue gun, staple them together. You want to make the top part of the cup much smaller. Do this for all four legs. Make a crease on both sides of the legs at the top of the cups so that the seams are on the bottom. Cut about one inch down on each side and slide them onto a dinner sized paper plate that is set upright so that the seams of the legs are facing down. Glue or staple them to the plate.
2. Turn another dinner sized paper plate upside down and glue or staple it on top of the plate with the feet.
3. Paint the feet black and let them dry while you work on the head.
4. To make the head paint the top side of a snack sized paper plate pink for the mouth and let dry. Fold it in half when it is dry so that the pink is inside.
5. Cut out two ears from poster board and glue them to the back of the head.
6. Glue the head onto the body as shown in the picture.
7. Glue cotton balls all over the sheep's body.
8. Draw eyes on a piece of card stock, cut them out and glue them to the head. Draw in the nose and mouth.

© 2005, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Raven with Pocket Paper Plate Craft

Go to the Birds Craft and Activity Page for directions to this craft

© 2005, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Polar Bear Crafts for Kids

Polar Bear Dessert Dish Craft for Kids
© 2005, Carolyn Warvel

What you will need: 2 Styrofoam dinner plates, Styrofoam bowl, 4 - 5 oz. Dixie Cups, 1 - 9 oz. Styrofoam cup, white acrylic paint, low temp. hot melt glue and a black marker.

What to do:

Tired Elephant Paper Plate Craft -

What you will need: two dinner sized paper plates (heavy duty is best, but the cheap ones will work), three snack size plates, four 5 ounce Dixie cups, one toilet paper roll, gray and red paint, hot melt glue gun or stapler, and white card stock.

What to do:

1. Make the four legs first. Cut the side seams (the part of the cup that has been glue together) out of the cup and then squeeze the sides together rolling the sides over each other. Glue or staple the sides together. You want to make the top part of the cup much smaller. Do this for all four legs. Make a crease on both sides of the legs at the top so that the seams are on the bottom. Cut about one inch down on each side at the creases and slide them onto a dinner sized paper plate that is set upright so that the seams of the legs are facing down. Glue or staple them to the plate.
2. Make a tail for the elephant out of paper and glue it onto the same paper plate.
3. Turn another dinner sized paper plate upside down and glue it on top of the plate with the feet.
4. For the head, paint the top side of a snack sized paper plate pink for the mouth and let dry. Fold it in half when it is dry so that the pink is inside.
5. Flatten one side of the TP roll and cut 1/2" slits on both sides at the flatten end. Slide the TP roll onto one side of the folded snack sized paper plate at the slits to form the trunk. (See picture.) Glue them together.
6. Trace the ear pattern onto the top side of snack sized paper plates. Place the outside of the ear pattern at the edge of the plate. Turn the pattern over and do the same thing. You should have two ears that are opposite each other. Glue them onto the back of the head as shown in the picture.
7. Glue the head onto the body and paint the whole body. Let dry.
8. Draw eyes on a piece of card stock, cut them out, and glue them to the head. Draw in the nose and mouth.

© 2005, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Resting Pig

What you will need: two dinner sized paper plates (heavy duty is best, but the cheap ones will work), 1 paper bowl, four 5 ounce Dixie cups, construction paper or card stock, pink and black paint, hot melt glue gun or stapler and a pink pipe cleaner.

What to do:

1. Make the four legs first. Cut the side seams (the part of the cup that has been glue together) out of the cup and then squeeze the sides together rolling the sides over each other. Glue or staple the sides together. You want to make the top part of the cup much smaller. Do this for all four legs. Make a crease on both sides of the legs at the top so that the seams are on the bottom. Cut about one inch down on each side at the creases and slide them onto a dinner sized paper plate that is set upright so that the seams of the legs are facing down. Glue or staple them to the plate.
2. Make a tail for the pig out of the pipe cleaner and staple it onto the same paper plate.
3. Turn another dinner sized paper plate upside down and glue it on top of the plate with the feet.
4. For the head, cut two slits down the side of a paper bowl. Bring the sides of slits together and glue or staple them making two darts at about where the sides of the mouth will end.
5. Cut out two ears from construction paper or card stock and glue them to the back of the bowl.
6. Glue the bowl to the top of the paper plate as shown.
7. Paint the pig pink and the bottoms of the feet black.
8. Draw eyes on a piece of card stock, cut them out, and glue them to the head. Draw in the nose and mouth.

© 2005, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Paper Lighthouse Craft

This lighthouse is made from poster board, paper and plastic cups, a paper plate, and a screw band from a Mason Jar (canning jar). It was painted with acrylic paint and small rocks were glued to the paper plate base.

Directions for this craft is on the members only section.

© 2005, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Alien and Space Ship - You can also find a "Spinning Space Ship toy" on the Trash to Treasure page.

What you will need: Two large Styrofoam plates, paper bowl, paint, sequins, glue, card stock.

What to do:

1. Print out the alien pattern, color it and cut it out.
2. Cut a hole in the center of one plate just large enough for the bowl to fit through up to the rim.
3. Glue the rim of the bowl to the paper plate. Glue the other paper plate onto the rim of the other plate.
4. Paint the space ship with acrylic paints and decorate with sequins.

© 2003, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Fish in Water Paper Plate Craft - This makes a great Sunday school craft.  Use it for any lesson with fish in it such as the creation story, Fishers of men, Jesus feeds the 5,000 etc.

What you will need: Heavy duty paper plates, fish pictures or fishy crackers, blue and green cellophane or Handi-wrap, blue and green tissue paper or  crepe paper, leaves, sea shells, etc., yarn, hole punch.

What to do: Have the children rip up pieces of crepe paper or tissue paper and glue to  the paper plate.  Show them how to crinkle up sheets of cellophane or Handi-wrap and place on the paper plate. Have them glue on foliage that might look like it came from the sea and small sea shells and coral.  Have them glue on pictures of fish or use fishy crackers.   When they are finished, cover the entire plate with cellophane or Handi-wrap  Punch a hole at the top of the plate and tie on a piece of yarn for hanging.

Sun, Moon, and Stars Mobile Craft - This mobile should be assembled before class so the children don't mistake the salt dough shapes for cookies.  

What you will need: Small heavy duty paper plates, salt dough,  star, moon, and sun cookie cutters, hole punch, yarn, paint or markers

What to do:
1.  Prepare a batch of salt dough. (This link will take you to another web site.  I used the first recipe on the page).  Cut two stars, one sun, and one moon shape for each  mobile using cookie cutters. (If you don't have a moon shape, just use a round cookie cutter and then take out a chunk of the circle using the round cookie cutter again. Bake until they are hard at the suggested temperature.
2.   Cut a paper plate in half. 
3. Print out the Cloud and Sun Patterns (Large file or small file) and cut them out.
4. Glue the patterns onto the front and  back of the paper plate.  Punch four holes on the straight side of the plate evenly spaced.
5.  Tie the shapes onto the plate with yarn.  The sun should be on a short string because  it is much heavier than the moon.  Make the moon the longest string because it is light.  This will balance out the mobile so that is hangs even. Punch a hole in the top and add another piece of yarn to hang.
6. Have the children paint or use markers to decorate the mobile.  If you would like, use spray glue and have the children sprinkle glitter on the shapes to finish. 

© 2002, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

 Paper Plate Noah's Ark Craft - © Carolyn Warvel When the children are all done you can serve  them animal crackers in their arks. © Carolyn Warvel

What you will need: Two heavy duty 6" paper plates, glue, crayons or markers,  scissors, and poster board.

What to do:

1. Cut one paper plate in half. Cut a slight curve in the cut  edge. Glue the two halves together to make the bottom of the ark.
2. Use the pattern to cut the top part of the ark from poster board. Fold where the  pattern indicates and glue together. Glue the top part of the ark to the bottom part of the ark.
3. Cut a little off the bottom edge of the ark so it isn't so rounded and will stand up better. Cut a slit using an exact knife in the middle of the second plate so that the ark fits into it. Cut two 1/2 inch slits running perpendicular and at each end of the first slit. This will hold up the ark. Color or paint.

© 2001, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

 Noah's Ark with Rainbow Paper Plate craft -  Just about all children have at least one beanie baby to put in this ark and hang  in their room. Thanks to Peggy Lewis for sending us this idea.

What you will need: 1 1/2  paper plates per ark, scissors, glue, paint of crayons

  What to do:

1. Before class cut one paper plate in half and use one half  to form the front of the ark. Save the other half to use as the front of another ark.
2. Cut a half a circle out of the top center half of the second paper plate leaving the rainbow shape at the top. 
3. Glue half paper plate onto the paper plate with the rainbow cut out so that a pocket is formed below the rainbow to form the ark.
4. Have the children paint the rainbow and ark.

Paper Plate Starfish Craft © Carolyn Warvel

What you will need: 9 inch paper plates (2  per fish) glue, paint, beads

Directions:

1. Print out starfish patterns Pattern 1 (Large file of small file) and Pattern 2 (Large file or small file). Cut out the starfish pattern and trace the pattern onto the bottom side of a paper plate and cut it out. (You don't have to use a paper plate; you could just use card stock.)
2. Fold the solid lines on the pattern up and the dotted lines down as shown in the diagram.
3. Glue the folded starfish to a piece of card stock and let dry. Don't press the folded starfish flat against the card stock. When your glue is dry cut out around the legs to finish.
4. Glue on a string or magnet to hang up the fish.
5. Decorate with beads. We used plastic necklace beads and glued  them on so the holes where face up.

Comments:

We loved the starfish activity in my 1st grade class. To save money I substituted cheerios for the beads. One box was enough for the whole class! A. Braswell, K/1 Looping Teacher

© 2001, Carolyn Warvel - Even though many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, library, etc. use only. It is illegal to copy any part of this craft and place it on another web site, bulletin board, or personal web site without permission even if you include the copyright notice. To request permission to copy this material for any other use than personal use contact me by e-mail.

Other Paper Plate Crafts on this Web Site

Turkey Dish

Bird Feeder

Paper Plate Whale

Links to Other Paper Plate Crafts

Denise Fleming's Web Site has some great paper plate crafts that go along with her book "Barnyard Banter" - Patterns include a butterfly, cow, cricket, crow, donkey, frog, goose, hen with wing, kitten, mouse, peacock, pig, pigeon, rooster, and a sitting hen.