You have a stack of paper plates and a bored kid. That’s the whole supply list right there.
No glitter explosions. No trips to the craft store. Just you, a kid, and some basic markers or paint.
I’ve survived many rainy afternoons with nothing but these flimsy circles and a wild imagination. Ready to save your sanity?
1. Paper Plate Lion
Draw a big brown circle in the center for the face. Then cut yellow triangles around the edge for the mane. Add eyes and a nose with markers. No glue required if you just draw everything.
2. Paper Plate Fish
Cut a wedge out of the paper plate to make a fish mouth. That wedge becomes the tail if you glue it on the opposite side.
Let your kid color the plate with orange, blue, or rainbow stripes. My kids always choose rainbow.
Glue on a googly eye if you have one, or just draw a big dot. No one will judge a hand-drawn eye.
Stick the tail wedge on the back. Boom – a fish that took five minutes and zero arguments.
3. Paper Plate Turtle
Fold a paper plate in half. That’s the shell. Cut out a small head, four legs, and a tail from another plate or scrap paper.
Color the shell with green and brown patches. Glue the pieces under the folded edge so the turtle looks 3D. Perfect for a slow afternoon.
4. Paper Plate Sun
Cut triangles around the entire edge of the plate. That’s your sun rays.
Paint or color the center bright yellow. Orange rays look awesome too.
Draw a happy face in the middle. Or a grumpy face if your kid is feeling spicy.
Punch a hole at the top and thread a piece of yarn to hang it on the fridge.
Congratulations – you’ve made a sun that’s way cheaper than therapy.
5. Paper Plate Monster
Cut a paper plate in half. Use one half as the monster’s body.
Cut random shapes out of the other half for eyes, horns, and teeth. Lots of teeth.
Glue everything onto the body half. The more lopsided, the better.
Use markers to add warts, scars, or three noses. Monsters don’t follow anatomy rules.
My kid once gave a monster seventeen eyes. I was legit impressed.
Let it dry while you clean up the tiny paper scraps. That’s the real victory.
6. Paper Plate Owl
Fold the top edges of a paper plate down to make two ear tufts. Color the plate brown.
Cut two big circles from another plate for eyes. Glue them on and draw black pupils.
Add a small orange triangle for a beak. Hoot hoot – you’ve got a wise guy on your hands.
7. Paper Plate Butterfly
Cut a paper plate in half. Decorate each half with bright colors and squiggly lines. Glue the two halves together at the center with a small black rectangle for the body.
8. Paper Plate Crab
Paint the whole plate red. That’s the crab’s shell.
Cut eight skinny legs from scrap paper or another plate. Fold them slightly so they stick out.
Glue the legs around the bottom edge of the plate. Add two big claws cut from the leftover rim.
Draw two eyes on top using a white dot and a black dot. This crab won’t pinch you.
9. Paper Plate Ladybug
Fold a paper plate in half. Color the outside red with black spots.
Open it up slightly so it stands like a dome. Draw a black head at the folded edge.
Glue on pipe cleaner antennae if you have them, or just draw two squiggles. No pipe cleaners? No problem.
10. Paper Plate Penguin
Paint the bottom half of a plate white and the top half black. That’s your penguin body.
Cut two small black ovals for wings. Glue them on the sides.
Cut an orange triangle for a beak and two orange feet. Glue them at the bottom.
Draw two white circles with black dots inside for eyes. Your penguin is ready to waddle.
Take a step back and admire that you didn’t lose your mind.
11. Paper Plate Robot
Cut a paper plate into a square shape by trimming the curves. That’s the robot head.
Cut small rectangles from another plate for eyes, a mouth, and antenna ears.
Glue everything onto the square head. Use a marker to draw buttons on the cheeks.
Add a neck made from a folded strip of paper. Beep boop – you have a robot friend.
My kid named hers “Toaster Steve.” I still don’t get it, but I love it.
Let the glue dry while you pretend to be robots too.
12. Paper Plate Flower
Cut five petals from a second paper plate. Leave the first plate whole as the flower center.
Color the center yellow and the petals any color you like. Pink and purple are crowd favorites.
Glue the petals around the edge of the whole plate. Draw a stem on a separate piece of paper and tape it on.
13. Paper Plate Mask
Cut out two eye holes near the top of a plate. Let your kid decorate the rest with stripes, dots, or superhero symbols.
Tape a craft stick or a folded strip of paper to the back as a handle. Instant disguise for a tiny crime fighter.
14. Paper Plate Snake
Cut a paper plate into a spiral. Start from the outer edge and keep cutting in a circle until you reach the center.
Let your kid color each section with different patterns. Zigzags, dots, and wavy lines work great.
Draw a red tongue sticking out from the center piece. Hang the snake from the ceiling or a doorknob.
This craft doubles as a fidget toy. My kid unwinds it and rewinds it for hours.
15. Paper Plate Jellyfish
Cut the bottom half of a paper plate off so you have a dome. That’s the jellyfish bell.
Cut strips of paper from the leftover plate for tentacles. Glue them under the dome.
Draw two goofy eyes on the front. Add a smile if you want a friendly jellyfish.
16. Paper Plate Turkey
Paint the plate brown. That’s the turkey body.
Cut five feather shapes from another plate. Color them red, orange, and yellow.
Glue the feathers to the back of the brown plate so they fan out.
Cut a small head and a wattle (that red dangly bit) from scrap paper. Glue them on the front.
Draw two eyes and a beak. Thanksgiving crafts in July? Why not.
17. Paper Plate Snowman
Paint three small paper plates white. Glue them in a vertical line: big on bottom, medium in middle, small on top.
Cut tiny black circles for coal buttons and glue them down the middle.
Cut an orange triangle for a carrot nose. Add two black eyes and a black smile.
Cut a strip of red or green for a scarf. Wrap it between the top two plates.
Glue on small twigs from the yard for arms. No twigs? Use brown paper strips instead.
Let it all dry while you sing a terrible version of “Frosty.”
18. Paper Plate Frog
Paint a paper plate green. Fold it in half.
Cut two big white circles for eyes and glue them on the folded top edge. Draw black pupils.
Cut a long red tongue from scrap paper. Glue it inside the fold so it flips out.
This frog catches flies made of crumpled paper. Hours of entertainment right there.
19. Paper Plate Cat
Cut a paper plate into a cat head shape by making two triangles on top for ears. Color it orange or black.
Draw whiskers, a pink nose, and two green eyes. No cutting, no glue, just drawing.
That’s it. Sometimes simple wins the afternoon.
20. Paper Plate Dog
Cut a paper plate in half. One half is the head, the other half is the ear.
Glue the ear half behind the head half so it droops down. Color the whole thing brown.
Draw two eyes, a black nose, and a happy tongue sticking out.
Cut a small red circle for a collar and glue it under the chin. Every dog needs a collar.
21. Paper Plate Boat
Cut a paper plate in half. Fold one half into a triangle shape to make a sail.
Tape the sail to the other half (the boat base). Color the base blue and the sail white.
Float it in the bathtub or a sink. Sink or sail – it’s still a win.
22. Paper Plate Tambourine
Take two paper plates and place them together like a sandwich. Staple around the edge but leave a small opening.
Let your kid pour dried beans or rice into the opening. Then staple it shut.
Decorate both sides with markers or paint. Shake it like you mean it.
WARNING: Your house will get loud. You have been warned.
My kids shake these things for an hour, and I just put in earplugs. Worth it.
23. Paper Plate Wreath
Cut the center out of a paper plate so you have just the rim. That’s your wreath base.
Tear or cut small green squares from construction paper. Glue them all over the rim.
Add red berries made from crumpled red paper or drawn dots. Tie a ribbon at the top.
Hang it on your kid’s bedroom door for instant holiday cheer. Or just because it’s Tuesday.
24. Paper Plate Clock
Write numbers 1 through 12 around the edge of a paper plate. Use a marker or stickers.
Cut two hands from a scrap plate: a short one and a long one. Attach them with a brass fastener (or a bent paperclip).
Practice telling time by moving the hands. “What time is snack? Three o’clock? Great.”
25. Paper Plate Basket
Cut a paper plate in half. Staple or tape the straight edges together to form a cone shape.
Flatten the bottom slightly so it stands up. Decorate the outside with stripes or flowers.
Fill it with tiny toys or crumpled paper eggs. Perfect for an impromptu treasure hunt.
26. Paper Plate Rocket
Cut a paper plate into a triangle shape at the top. That’s your rocket body.
Cut three small circles from another plate for windows. Glue them in a row down the middle.
Cut flame shapes from orange scrap paper and glue them to the bottom.
Draw stars around the rocket. Three, two, one – craft complete.
Add a paper cone on top if you’re feeling extra.
27. Paper Plate Dinosaur
Cut a paper plate in half. Use one half as the dinosaur body. Cut the other half into spikes and a head.
Glue the spikes along the curved edge of the body half. Attach the head at the front.
Draw a fierce eye and lots of teeth. Rawr means “thank you” in dinosaur.
You just made 27 crafts without buying a single fancy supply. Give yourself a high five.
Now go grab that stack of plates and a bored kid. The mess will be minimal, the laughs will be real, and you might even have fun yourself.
If you try any of these, shoot me a message on the blog. I want to see your kid’s seventeen-eyed monster.