5 Easy Paper Plate Crafts for Preschoolers

Sometimes the best preschool crafts start with the simplest supplies. A paper plate, some construction paper, paint, glue and a little imagination can turn into something pretty wonderful.

These easy paper plate crafts for preschoolers are designed for little hands and don't require complicated supplies or hours of preparation. They're fun for parents, grandparents, preschool teachers, daycare providers and anyone looking for an easy activity to enjoy with a preschooler.

We've picked five simple paper plate crafts that give children opportunities to paint, cut, glue, decorate and make their creations their own.

And don't worry about making them look exactly like the pictures. A purple dinosaur, a puppy with mismatched ears or an octopus with wildly colorful legs is part of the fun.

The craft gives you something to make together. The time you spend making it is the best part.

1. Paper Plate Dinosaur Craft

This adorable paper plate puppy craft is easy to personalize, so every preschooler can make a puppy that's completely their own.

Start with a paper plate for the puppy's face. Cut floppy ears from construction paper and glue one to each side of the plate. Add spots wherever you'd like, then give your puppy eyes, a nose, a mouth and a big red tongue.

Preschoolers can make their puppy brown, black, spotted, striped or any color they can imagine. They can even try to make it look like a favorite family pet.

Cutting and gluing the different pieces gives little hands practice with fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, while choosing the colors and features gives children plenty of room to be creative.

When you're finished, don't forget the most important part: give your new puppy a name!

3. Paper Plate Octopus Craft

 

3. Paper Plate Octopus Craft

This colorful paper plate octopus craft has a fun twist: curly paper tentacles that preschoolers can help make themselves.

Paint a paper plate in your child's favorite color and let it dry. Add eyes and a happy smile to create the octopus's face.

Next, cut strips of colorful construction paper for the tentacles. Wrap each strip around a marker or crayon to make it curl, then glue the tentacles along the bottom of the paper plate.

Let your preschooler choose the colors and help curl the paper strips. It's a simple way to practice cutting, gluing and fine motor skills while creating something wonderfully silly.

You can even count the tentacles together as you attach them. An octopus needs eight, but if your preschooler's octopus ends up with seven or nine, that's perfectly okay. It's their octopus!

4. Paper Plate Frog Craft

This cheerful paper plate frog craft is simple to make and gives preschoolers lots of little pieces to cut, glue and put together.

Start by painting a paper plate green and let it dry. Cut out the frog's legs and feet from green construction paper, then glue them to the plate.

Add two big eyes at the top and a wide frog smile. Finish your frog with a long red paper tongue sticking out from its mouth.

Preschoolers can help with painting, positioning the pieces and gluing everything in place. These simple steps give little hands practice with cutting, gluing, fine motor skills and following directions.

And once your frog is finished, there's only one thing left to do: see how far your preschooler can hop!

5. Paper Plate Hot Air Balloon Craft

This colorful paper plate hot air balloon craft is an easy way for preschoolers to turn a simple paper plate into something that looks ready to float away.

Start by decorating a paper plate with crayons, markers, paint or colorful paper shapes. There is no right way to decorate the balloon, so let your preschooler choose the colors and design.

Next, cut a small basket from brown construction paper. Attach the basket below the paper plate using two pieces of string or yarn to create your hot air balloon.

This craft gives preschoolers opportunities to practice coloring, gluing, cutting and fine motor skills, while the open-ended decorating lets them make the balloon completely their own.

When it's finished, ask your little traveler where their hot air balloon is going. You might be surprised where their imagination takes them!

Why Paper Plate Crafts Are Great for Preschoolers

Paper plate crafts are one of those activities that prove preschool fun doesn't need to be complicated or expensive. With a few basic craft supplies, an ordinary paper plate can become an animal, a dinosaur, a hot air balloon or just about anything a child can imagine.

They're also a great fit for preschoolers because there are so many ways for little hands to participate. Depending on the craft, children can practice painting, coloring, cutting, gluing and using clothespins, all while working on fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

But the finished craft isn't really the most important part.

Sitting together, talking about what you're making, laughing when something turns out a little silly and watching a child proudly show off what they created are the moments that make craft time special.

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, preschool teacher, daycare provider or someone lucky enough to spend time with a preschooler, a paper plate and a few simple supplies can give you an easy reason to sit down, create and spend time together.

More Easy Preschool Crafts & Activities

Looking for more simple ways to keep little hands busy and spend meaningful time together?

Aunt Linny has plenty of easy preschool crafts and activities created for parents, grandparents, teachers, daycare providers and anyone who spends time with preschoolers.

You can start with our free preschool printables for easy activities you can print and use right away.

And when you want even more ideas ready to go, Aunt Linny's Craft Vault includes 99 preschool crafts and activities in one collection, with simple instructions, materials lists, skills practiced and a kid-friendly joke with every activity.

Keep Craft Time Simple

Preschool crafts don't need to look perfect to be worthwhile. The crooked eyes, extra glue and unexpected color choices are often what make a child's creation special.

Give your preschooler as much of the project to do independently as they comfortably can, stepping in when they need help with cutting or other tricky steps. The goal isn't to recreate the example perfectly. It's to give them a chance to create something they're proud of while enjoying time together.

Keep a small supply of paper plates, construction paper, washable paint, glue, child-safe scissors and crayons or markers on hand, and you'll always have the beginnings of an easy preschool activity.

Because sometimes the simplest supplies create the best memories.

Looking for Your Next Preschool Activity?

You don't need to spend your time scrolling for something to do. Aunt Linny is here to make finding your next preschool activity easier.

Browse our free preschool printables when you need something quick, or explore Aunt Linny's Craft Vault for 99 crafts and activities ready whenever you need an idea.

Most importantly, don't worry about making craft time perfect. Pick an activity, pull up a chair and make something together. The craft may end up on the refrigerator, but the time together is what they'll remember.