October 14, 2026

Paper Plate Crafts for Kids

Paper plates made into a lion, a fish, and a mask

A paper plate is already a circle, so the hard shape is done. These paper plate crafts turn that circle into animals, masks, and pictures. Uncoated plates take glue and paint better than shiny ones.

Lion plate

Ages: 4+. Time: 25 minutes.

You need: paper plate, yellow paper strips or yarn, glue, crayon.

  1. Glue strips around the rim for a mane.
  2. Draw eyes, a nose, and a mouth in the centre.
  3. Add two ear shapes at the top.
  4. Let the glue dry before hanging it.

Torn strips are fine if cutting strips takes too long.

Fish plate

Ages: 4+. Time: 20 minutes.

You need: paper plate, scissors, paint or crayon, a paper triangle.

  1. An adult cuts a small triangle from the plate.
  2. Glue that triangle on the opposite side as a tail.
  3. Colour scales.
  4. Add one eye.

The cut-out piece becomes the tail, so nothing is wasted.

Half-mask

Ages: 6+. Time: 25 minutes.

You need: paper plate, scissors, elastic or a strip of paper, crayon.

  1. Cut the plate in half.
  2. An adult cuts two eye holes.
  3. Decorate the mask.
  4. Staple a paper strip or elastic so it can be worn.

Hold the mask up before you cut the eyes so the holes line up.

Plate aquarium

Ages: 5+. Time: 25 minutes.

You need: paper plate, blue crayon or paint, paper fish, glue.

  1. Colour the plate blue.
  2. Cut or tear three small fish.
  3. Glue them on.
  4. Add seaweed strips at the bottom.

Three fish is a complete picture. More is optional.

The Imagination Hive is a children’s art and STEM studio in Milton, Ontario. These projects use ordinary paper and scraps so you can start today.

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