October 22, 2026

Animal Paper Plate Crafts

Paper plates turned into a lion, a bear, and a turtle

Animal paper plate crafts work because the plate is already a head or a body. Children do not have to draw a circle that closes. These projects stay on one plate, use paper scraps for ears, manes, and shells, and finish when the face has two eyes. They are different from the short lion and fish in the main paper plate guide.

Set up the table

Use uncoated plates. Shiny plates shed glue. Put scraps in one bowl, a glue stick in reach, and crayons in a cup. An adult cuts eye holes or thin strips if the child is under six. Tape the plate to the table if it spins while they draw.

Bear face

Ages: 4+. Time: 20 minutes.

You need: paper plate, brown crayon or paint, two paper circles, glue stick.

  1. Colour the plate.
  2. Glue two circles at the top as ears.
  3. Draw two eyes, a nose, and a small mouth.
  4. Stop. Extra spots make the bear harder to read.

Round ears say bear. Pointed ears will read as a cat, which is fine if they decide that.

Turtle

Ages: 4+. Time: 25 minutes.

You need: paper plate, green paper, four paper strips, glue stick.

  1. Colour the plate as the shell.
  2. Glue a small oval so it sticks out as the head.
  3. Add four short strips as legs.
  4. Draw shell lines with a crayon.

Four legs are enough. More strips start to look like a sun.

Owl

Ages: 5+. Time: 25 minutes.

You need: paper plate, two large paper circles, a small triangle, crayon.

  1. Glue the circles as eyes, overlapping the top of the plate.
  2. Add the triangle as a beak.
  3. Draw wing shapes on the plate.
  4. Add feet with two short lines.

Big eyes are the whole owl. The plate colour can stay plain.

Rabbit

Ages: 4+. Time: 20 minutes.

You need: paper plate, two long paper ovals, glue stick, crayon.

  1. Glue the ovals so they stand above the plate.
  2. Draw a nose and whiskers in the centre.
  3. Add two small teeth if they want.
  4. Pink inner ears are optional and can be smaller ovals.

If the ears flop, tape them on the back.

Hedgehog

Ages: 5+. Time: 25 minutes.

You need: paper plate, brown paper triangles, glue stick, crayon.

  1. Glue triangles around the rim, points out.
  2. Leave the lower third of the plate clear for the face.
  3. Draw one eye and a nose on the clear part.
  4. A single paper strip can be the ground.

Torn triangles work if cutting is slow.

Fish school

Ages: 4+. Time: 25 minutes.

You need: three small plates or one plate cut into thirds by an adult, paper triangles, crayon.

  1. Give each piece a triangle tail.
  2. Draw one eye on each.
  3. Add a few scale marks.
  4. Line them up so they swim the same way.

One fish is a finished craft. Three fish make a school.

What to watch

Glue sticks are enough. Liquid glue soaks the plate and the animal slides apart. Hang the plate only after it is dry, and use tape on the back rather than a pin a child can reach.

The Imagination Hive is a children’s art and STEM studio in Milton, Ontario. These projects use ordinary supplies so you can start at the kitchen table.

Keep making