15 Paper Plate Crafts for Kids: Easy and Fun Animal Crafts

Paper plate crafts develop kids’ motor skills and creativity while being budget-friendly for parents and teachers.

I’ve sorted these paper plate animal crafts by age groups with appropriate animals, materials lists, and instructions for each—mostly using common household items, with optional special touches.

Gather your supplies and young artists and start creating! Remember, the enjoyment is in the process, not perfection—some of our most successful craft sessions produced bizarre creations filled with laughter and pride.

Paper Plate Crafts for Kids: Toddlers (Ages 2-3)

For our youngest crafters, the enjoyment is in the process, not the product. These simple projects focus on fundamental skills such as coloring and gluing while creating recognizable animal friends.

Bunny Rabbit

A cute bunny made witt paper plate, cotton balls and googly eyes.

Materials:

Paper plate
Pink or white craft paint (washable)
Cotton balls
Construction paper (pink for inner ears)
Googly eyes
Black marker
Glue
Child-safe scissors (for parent use)

Instructions:

Help your toddler paint the paper plate pink or white (or let them use it unpainted if preferred).
While the paint dries, cut out two long bunny ear shapes from the paper plate scraps or construction paper.
Fold the bottom of each ear and glue to the top of the plate.
Glue cotton balls all over the plate for a fluffy bunny body.
Add googly eyes, or draw them with markers.
Draw a simple nose and mouth with the black marker.
Optional: Cut and glue a small pink circle for the nose and draw whiskers.

Fish

Materials:

Paper plate
Blue, yellow, or orange paint (washable)
Tissue paper in various colors
Googly eyes
Glue
Child-safe scissors (for parent use)

Instructions:

Let your toddler paint the paper plate in their chosen fish color.
While the paint is drying, cut out a triangular tail shape from the paper plate.
Help your child glue the tail to the plate.
Cut small shapes or squares from tissue paper.
Let your toddler glue the pieces of tissue paper onto the fish’s body as “scales.”
Add a googly eye, or draw one with a marker.
Optional: Add paper fins on the sides if desired.

Chick

Materials:

Paper plate
Yellow paint (washable)
Orange construction paper
Googly eyes
Yellow feathers (optional)
Glue
Child-safe scissors (for parent use)

Instructions:

Help your toddler paint the paper plate yellow.
While the paint dries, cut a small triangle from orange construction paper for the beak.
Cut two small feet shapes from the orange paper.
Once dry, glue on the beak and feet.
Add googly eyes, or draw them with markers.
Optional: Glue yellow feathers along the edge of the plate for extra fluff.

Paper Plate Crafts for Kids: Preschoolers (Ages 4-5)

Preschoolers possess better motor skills and longer attention spans. These crafts add a few more steps and details while remaining achievable.

Lion

Materials:

Paper plate
Yellow paint (washable)
Orange and yellow construction paper
Googly eyes
Brown or black marker
Glue
Child-safe scissors

Instructions:

Have your child paint the paper plate yellow.
While it dries, help them cut strips of orange and yellow construction paper for the mane (about 1 inch wide and 3-4 inches long).
Show them how to slightly curl each strip by wrapping it around a pencil.
Once the plate is dry, help them glue the strips all around the edge of the plate for the lion’s mane.
Add googly eyes, or draw them with markers.
Draw or cut out a small nose and mouth.
Optional: Add whiskers with black pipe cleaners or by drawing them with a marker.

Turtle

Materials:

Paper plate
Green paint (washable)
Green and brown construction paper
Googly eyes
Glue
Child-safe scissors
Brown marker

Instructions:

Help your preschooler paint the plate green.
Cut a small construction paper circle for the head, four ovals for legs, and a small triangle for the tail.
Instruct your child to glue these pieces onto the plate, with the head, legs, and tail extending from the edge.
Add googly eyes to the head.
Use a brown marker to draw shell patterns on the plate (simple lines in a grid pattern).
Optional: Cut small green triangles and glue onto the legs as “claws.”

Butterfly

Materials:

Paper plate
Paint in various colors
Pipe cleaners
Googly eyes
Glue
Child-safe scissors

Instructions:

Cut the paper plate in half.
Let your child paint both halves in their choice of colors. Encourage patterns or symmetrical designs.
Once dry, help them arrange the two halves so the curved edges face outward, forming wings.
Glue the straight edges together in the middle.
Twist a pipe cleaner in the middle for the butterfly’s body.
Add a small ball of paper or another short piece of pipe cleaner at the top for the head.
Add googly eyes to the head.
Optional: Add small pipe cleaner pieces as antennae.

Ladybug

Materials:

Paper plate
Red paint (washable)
Black construction paper
Black marker
Googly eyes
Glue
Child-safe scissors

Instructions:

Have your preschooler paint the paper plate red.
While it dries, help them cut a black construction paper strip for the middle line down the ladybug’s back.
Cut small black circles for spots.
Once the plate is dry, help them glue the black strip down the middle of the plate.
Let them arrange and glue the black spots on the red sections.
Cut a small semicircle from black construction paper for the head.
Glue the head to the front of the plate.
Add googly eyes to the head.
Optional: Add pipe cleaner antennae.

Paper Plate Crafts for Kids: Early Elementary (Ages 6-8)

Children at this age can handle more detailed instructions and have improved cutting skills. These crafts involve more steps and decoration possibilities.

Owl

Materials:

Paper plate
Brown paint (washable)
Construction paper in various colors
Feathers (optional)
Googly eyes
Glue
Scissors

Instructions:

Have your child paint the paper plate brown.
While it dries, help them cut out two large circles from colored construction paper for eyes.
Cut two smaller circles in a contrasting color for pupils.
Cut out a small triangle for the beak from orange construction paper.
Once the plate is dry, have them glue on the eye pieces and beak.
Cut feather shapes from construction paper or use real craft feathers.
Glue feathers around the outside edge of the plate.
Optional: Add two small triangles at the top of the plate for ear tufts.

Fox

Materials:

Paper plate
Orange paint (washable)
White and black construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Black marker

Instructions:

Have your child paint the paper plate orange.
Cut the plate: Cut off about 1/3 from the bottom of the plate and throw it away. Cut the other 2/3 in half, lengthwise.
Use the 1/3 piece to cut out two pointed ear shapes.
Arrange the two halves of the 2/3 piece to form a face shape, with the straight edges overlapping slightly. Glue in place.
Glue the ears to the top of the face.
Cut white triangles for the inner ears, and a large white triangle for the snout/muzzle.
Glue these white parts in place.
Add black triangle nose and draw or cut out black eyes.
Optional: Use the black marker to add whiskers and mouth details.

Elephant

Materials:

Paper plate
Gray paint (washable)
Gray construction paper
Googly eyes
Scissors
Glue
Pink marker or crayon

Instructions:

Have your child paint the paper plate gray.
While it dries, cut a trunk shape from gray construction paper (long rectangle with rounded end).
Cut two ear shapes from gray construction paper (make them large and floppy!).
When the plate is dry, help them glue the trunk to the bottom of the plate with a slight curve to it.
Glue the ears onto the back of the plate so they stick out on each side.
Add googly eyes above the trunk.
Use pink marker to add a small amount of pink inside the ears.
Optional: Add small tusks made from white paper on either side of the trunk.

Penguin

Materials:

Paper plate
Black and white paint (washable)
Orange construction paper
Googly eyes
Scissors
Glue

Instructions:

Have your child paint the top 2/3 of the paper plate black.
Paint the bottom 1/3 white.
Cut a small triangle from orange construction paper for the beak.
Cut two small feet shapes from orange construction paper.
Once the paint is dry, glue the beak in the middle of the black section.
Glue the feet to the bottom of the plate, extending downward.
Add googly eyes above the beak.
Optional: Cut small wing shapes from black construction paper and glue to the sides of the plate.

Paper Plate Crafts for Kids: Older Elementary (Ages 9-12)

More complex crafts with numerous parts and elaborate designs can be done by older children. These are intended to challenge problem-solving and creativity.

Peacock

Materials:

Paper plate
Blue and green paint (washable)
Construction paper in blue, green, purple, and yellow
Googly eyes
Glitter (optional)
Scissors
Glue
Feathers (optional)

Instructions:

Cut the paper plate in half. One half will be the peacock’s body.
Have your child paint the half plate blue.
While it dries, cut out a small head shape and neck from blue construction paper.
For feathers, cut several long teardrop shapes from construction paper in blue, green, and purple.
Once the body is dry, glue the head and neck to the straight edge of the half plate.
The teardrop feathers in fan fashion behind the body and glue.
Cut out small yellow paper circles and stick them near the ends of each feather for the peacock feathers’ eyes.
Stick a googly eye to the head.
Optional: Add glitter to the feathers or use real feathers for extra flair.

Dragon

Materials:

Paper plate
Green, red, or blue paint (washable)
Construction paper in matching colors
Googly eyes
Scissors
Glue
Markers for details

Instructions:

Have your child paint the paper plate in their chosen dragon color.
While it dries, cut spikes for the back/tail from matching construction paper.
Cut two wing shapes from construction paper.
Cut a long, tapered tail shape.
Once the plate is dry, fold it in half (paint side out).
Glue the spikes along the curved edge of the folded plate.
Attach the tail to the point of the folded plate.
Glue the wings to either side of the dragon’s body.
Add googly eyes to the front point (the head).
Use markers to add nostrils, mouth, and scales.
Optional: Add red or orange paper flames coming from the mouth.

Chameleon

Materials:

Paper plate
Various colors of paint (washable)
Construction paper in several colors
Googly eyes
Pipe cleaners
Scissors
Glue

Instructions:

Have your child paint the plate with a base color.
When partially dry, encourage them to add spots or stripes in different colors.
Cut the plate: Cut a small curve from one side of the plate for the belly indent. Cut a small spiral shape for the tail from the removed piece.
Cut four leg shapes from construction paper.
Glue the legs to the underside of the plate so they stick out.
Attach the spiral tail to the back of the plate.
Add two googly eyes on top of the head portion.
Twist two pipe cleaners for curly antennae and attach to the head.
Optional: Add texture to the skin by gluing small torn pieces of tissue paper in various colors.

Jellyfish

Materials:

Paper plate
Blue or pink paint (washable)
Tissue paper or crepe paper streamers in various colors
String or yarn
Glitter (optional)
Scissors
Glue
Blue construction paper (for ocean background, optional)

Instructions:

Have your child paint the back of the paper plate (the side that won’t be eaten).
Cut tissue paper or crepe paper into strips as tentacles while dry.
Glue the tentacles onto the inside of the plate so they hang down when dry.
Cut various lengths of string or yarn and add these as tentacles as well.
To create a 3D effect, create a soft dome by bending the plate.
For a 3D effect, create a slight dome shape by gently bending the plate.
Add small dots with white paint or paper for spots on the dome.
Optional: Mount the jellyfish on blue construction paper to create an ocean scene.

Paper plate animal crafts are not activities, they’re learning tools and family activities, creating memories from a toddler’s first bunny to a child’s dragony beast.

The beauty of paper plate crafts for kids is their simplicity. You can employ inexpensive plates, everyday materials, and a willingness to get messy to make something beautiful.

Kids’ approach to crafts documents their development—a 3-year-old’s blue-paint splatter “fish” matures into an 8-year-old’s carefully planned masterpiece, each marking significant developmental milestones.

For more kids’ craft inspiration, explore these posts: