Paper Plate Christmas Crafts for Kids: Easy and Fun Projects

The holidays have come, and you know what it’s all about – it’s time to transform your dining room table into a craft blast zone! Paper plates are no longer the sole province of eating leftover pizza. These plain kitchen staples are soon going to be your best-kept secret for how you create Christmas magic with your kids.

Whether you’re trying to find something to do on a rainy afternoon or just want something to distract the little ones while you try to wrap presents (good luck with that!), these paper plate Christmas crafts are great for kids of every age. And, they’re inexpensive, meaning you can make seventeen different Santa faces without going broke.

1. Paper Plate Santa Face

Paper plate with Santa face.

Materials:

  • 1 large white paper plate
  • Red construction paper
  • Pink construction paper
  • Cotton balls
  • Black marker
  • Glue stick
  • Scissors

Instructions:

  1. Cut the paper plate in half, keeping one half for Santa’s face
  2. Cut a triangle from red paper for Santa’s hat
  3. Cut a small circle from pink paper for his nose
  4. Glue the hat to the top of the plate half
  5. Stretch out cotton balls and glue them around the bottom edge for his beard
  6. Stick a cotton ball to the end of the hat
  7. 7. Glue the pink nose on and add eyes and a smile with black marker
  8. Glue on the pink nose and draw on eyes and a smile with the black marker

Explore more super easy Santa crafts for kids.

2. Christmas Tree Spinning Wheel

Christmas tree spinning wheel made with paper plates.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. Cut a triangle window in the center of one plate
  2. Decorate the second plate with Christmas tree ornaments drawn in sections
  3. Place the plate with the window on top of the decorated plate
  4. Secure both plates with a brad through the center
  5. Spin to reveal different ornament combinations
  6. Add stickers around the border for extra festive flair
  7. 6. Add stickers around the edge for added holiday pizzazz

3. Reindeer Paper Plate Mask

A reindeer mask made with paper plate.

Materials:

  • 1 brown paper plate
  • Brown construction paper
  • Red pom-poms
  • Googly eyes
  • Craft stick or elastic string
  • Glue
  • Scissors

Instructions:

  1. Cut out eye holes in the paper plate
  2. Cut antler shapes from brown construction paper
  3. Glue antlers to the top back of the plate
  4. Attach googly eyes above the eye holes
  5. Glue the red pom-pom in the center for Rudolph’s nose
  6. Glue a craft stick to the bottom or punch some holes and add elastic for wearing

Kids will also love these 15 cute reindeer craft ideas.

4. Christmas Wreath

A Christmas wreath made with paper plate.

Materials:

  • 1 green paper plate
  • Red ribbon
  • Small red pom-poms or buttons
  • Green tissue paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors

Instructions:

  1. Cut out the center of the paper plate, leaving a 2-inch border
  2. Tear green tissue paper into small pieces
  3. Crumple tissue paper pieces and glue all around the plate ring
  4. Glue on red pom-poms as berries
  5. Secure a red ribbon bow to the head
  6. Add a loop of ribbon to the back for hanging

Check out 12 Christmas wreath crafts for kids using simple supplies.

5. Paper Plate Angel

An angel made with paper plates.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. Cut one paper plate in half to create the angel’s wings.
  2. Glue the wings to the back of a whole paper plate to form the angel’s body.
  3. Cut a circle from the leftover plate to make the angel’s face and glue it onto the top center.
  4. Glue cotton balls around the face to create hair.
  5. Use a black marker to draw eyes, a nose, and a smiling mouth on the face.
  6. Twist a gold pipe cleaner into a halo shape and glue or tape it behind the head.Cut one plate in half for the wings.

6. Snowman Face Plate

A paper plate decorated with a snowman face.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. Keep the white plate as the snowman’s face
  2. Cut a small triangle from orange paper for the carrot nose
  3. Glue on the nose in the center
  4. Add black buttons vertically down the middle
  5. Draw on coal dot eyes and a smile with black marker
  6. Wrap a red strip around the plate edge as a scarf

7. Christmas Star Decoration

A Christmas star made with two paper plates.

Materials:

  • 2 yellow paper plates
  • Glitter
  • Star stickers
  • Ribbon
  • Glue
  • Scissors

Instructions:

  1. Cut both plates into star shapes (trace a star template first)
  2. Glue the two stars together, back to back
  3. Cover one side with glue and sprinkle with glitter
  4. Add star stickers around the edges
  5. Punch a hole at the top point
  6. Thread ribbon through for hanging
  7. Let dry completely before hanging

8. Elf Face Plate

An Elf face made with paper plate.

Materials:

  • 1 paper plate
  • Green construction paper (for hat)
  • Pink or beige construction paper (for ears)
  • Googly eyes
  • Red marker or crayon (for mouth)
  • Small pom-pom or cotton ball (for hat tip)
  • Glue
  • Scissors

Instructions:

  • Cut a triangle from green paper to make the elf hat and glue it to the top of the plate.
  • Cut two large ear shapes from pink or beige paper and glue them to the sides of the plate.
  • Glue on googly eyes and draw a smiling mouth with the red marker.
  • Add a small pom-pom or cotton ball to the tip of the hat for a festive touch.

Explore more cute elf crafts for kids here.

9. Christmas Cookie Plate Art

A paper plate decorated as a Christmas cookie.

Materials:

  • 1 brown paper plate
  • Various colored construction paper
  • Cotton swabs
  • Acrylic paints
  • Glue
  • Scissors

Instructions:

  1. Use the brown plate as your “cookie”
  2. Cut small shapes from colored paper for “decorations”
  3. Glue paper shapes onto the plate like cookie decorations
  4. Use cotton swabs with white paint to add “icing” details
  5. Let each color dry before adding the next
  6. Create chocolate chips with brown paper circles
  7. Add a paper loop on back for display

10. Christmas Tree Farm Scene

A white paper plate decorated with a beautiful Christmas scene

Materials:

  • 1 white paper plate
  • Green triangle cutouts
  • Brown rectangles
  • Cotton balls
  • Blue paint or paper
  • Glue
  • Small star stickers

Instructions:

  1. Paint or cover the plate with blue for sky
  2. Cut various sized triangles from green paper for trees
  3. Cut small brown rectangles for tree trunks
  4. Arrange and glue trees across the bottom of the plate
  5. Stretch cotton balls and glue as snow on trees
  6. Add star stickers to tree tops
  7. Create snow drifts with cotton along the bottom

11. Grinch Face Plate

A paper plate representing a Grinch face.

Materials:

  • Paper plates (2 per child)
  • Green paint or construction paper
  • Black marker
  • Red construction paper
  • Glue stick
  • Scissors
  • Cotton balls

Instructions:

  1. Paint one paper plate green or cover with green construction paper
  2. Cut the second paper plate in half and paint green for the hat
  3. Glue the half-plate to the top of the full plate to create the Grinch’s iconic hat
  4. Add two black dots for eyes and a smiling curved line for mouth
  5. Glue on a small red heart off-center

Explore more fun and easy Grinch crafts that kids will love to make.

12. Paper Plate Christmas Tree

A Christmas tree made with several paper plates.

Materials:

  • 2–3 paper plates
  • Green paint or markers
  • Paintbrush
  • Yellow construction paper (for star)
  • Brown construction paper (for trunk)
  • Scissors
  • Glue

Instructions:

  1. Paint the paper plates green and let them dry completely.
  2. Cut the plates into large triangle or wedge-shaped sections to resemble tree branches.
  3. Layer the plate pieces from largest to smallest, gluing them in place to form a tree shape.
  4. Cut a small rectangle from brown paper for the tree trunk and glue at the bottom.
  5. Cut a star from yellow paper and glue at the top.

Discover 25 easy Christmas tree crafts for kids that bring holiday cheer.

Craft Success Tips

Clear your space with newspaper or a plastic tablecloth because glitter seems to have a supernatural ability to appear in places you never even knew you had. Have wet wipes within arm’s reach – trust me, it’s worth it. And don’t worry about perfection; fun memories and maybe 20 minutes of contemplative concentration are what we’re aiming for.

Looking for more holiday inspiration? Explore even more kid-friendly Christmas craft ideas, including 15 holiday projects to make together and 24 DIY Christmas tree ornaments.

Your kids may also love making these easy popsicle stick Christmas crafts, budget-friendly paper bag crafts, pipe cleaner crafts, Christmas cards and painted rock ideas for Christmas.

Don’t miss our Preschool Christmas Gifts for Parents post for more handmade holiday inspiration!

Once Christmas has passed, don’t pack away the creativity—discover even more fun in our winter crafts for kids collection!

More to Chew On