October 6, 2026

Christmas Paper Plate Crafts

A paper plate wreath, ornament, and angel

Christmas paper plate crafts use the circle as a wreath, an ornament, or an angel body. They do not need glitter. Green and red paper, a glue stick, and crayon are enough. The seasonal guide already has a snowflake and a sun. These are the December plate projects.

Set up the table

Cut the centre out of a plate only when you need a wreath, and only as an adult job. For everything else, leave the plate whole. Work flat. Standing pieces tip over while the glue is wet.

Wreath

Ages: 5+. Time: 30 minutes.

You need: paper plate with the centre removed, green paper leaves, a red paper bow, glue stick.

  1. Glue leaves around the ring, overlapping.
  2. Leave a few gaps so it still looks like a ring.
  3. Add one bow at the bottom.
  4. Tape a hanging loop on the back.

Torn leaves are faster than perfect cut leaves.

Round ornament

Ages: 4+. Time: 20 minutes.

You need: paper plate, crayon patterns, a paper hook.

  1. Draw a border around the rim.
  2. Fill the centre with stripes, dots, or a simple tree.
  3. Glue a hook shape at the top.
  4. It can stay flat. It does not need to be a ball.

A border makes it look finished even if the middle is simple.

Angel

Ages: 5+. Time: 25 minutes.

You need: paper plate, a paper circle head, a triangle, glue.

  1. Glue the circle at the top as a head.
  2. Draw a face.
  3. Glue the triangle on the plate as a body, or use the plate itself as the gown.
  4. Add two paper wings at the sides.

The plate can be the whole gown. You do not need a second body piece.

Tree from a plate

Ages: 4+. Time: 20 minutes.

You need: paper plate, green crayon, small paper circles, a brown rectangle.

  1. Colour the plate green.
  2. Glue the rectangle at the bottom as a trunk, overlapping the rim.
  3. Add a few circle ornaments.
  4. One star at the top is enough.

A plate tree is round. That is fine. It does not have to be a triangle.

Star window

Ages: 6+. Time: 20 minutes.

You need: paper plate, scissors, yellow paper.

  1. An adult cuts a star hole, or the child glues a star on.
  2. If there is a hole, tape yellow tissue behind it.
  3. Hang it on a window.
  4. Light through the tissue is the finished look.

Tape the tissue on the back so the front stays flat.

Cardinal

Ages: 5+. Time: 25 minutes.

You need: paper plate, red crayon, a small triangle beak, a paper wing.

  1. Colour the plate red.
  2. Glue the beak and one wing.
  3. Add an eye and two feet.
  4. A green strip behind it can be a branch.

One bird on a branch is a complete picture.

What to watch

Skip loose glitter. It stays in the rug. If you want shine, use a yellow crayon pressed hard, or a single foil scrap from a clean wrapper, glued flat.

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