Paper plate crafts are one of those parenting discoveries that feel almost too good to be true. They’re cheap, easy to set up, forgiving when things go wrong, and — most importantly — actually work with toddlers.
None of these activities need specialist supplies or perfect results. If it’s a bit messy, slightly wonky, or missing a leg… that’s kind of the point.
Why paper plate crafts work so well for toddlers
Paper plates are ideal for toddler crafts because they tick a lot of boxes at once:
- They’re cheap and easy to replace
- Big enough for little hands to control
- Sturdy, but still easy to cut and paint
- Forgiving when things get messy or uneven
Paper plate crafts also quietly support early development. Painting, sticking, cutting (with help), and placing pieces all help toddlers practise fine motor skills, coordination, and focus — without it ever feeling like structured learning or pressure.
This page brings together all of our favourite paper plate crafts for toddlers. They’re designed for real homes, real time limits, and children who may lose interest halfway through and come back later asking where the glue went.
I’ve made all of these crafts at home with my son, Robbie, and it remains one of our go-to activities on a rainy day.
Animal paper plate crafts for toddlers
Animal crafts are always a winner with toddlers. They’re familiar, fun, and easy to personalise — especially when googly eyes get involved. Here are just a few animal plate crafts that we have made so far though the opportunities here are endless.
Paper Plate Spider Craft
A simple Halloween-friendly craft that’s more cute than creepy. Great for counting legs, practising sticking, and accepting that spiders don’t always end up with eight of them. It may even stop your little one growing up being petrified of spiders, like a certain Dad.
Paper Plate Turkey Craft
Perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving, this one works well with painting, feathers, and colour choices — all at toddler pace.
There are many different ways to make this craft ranging from a simple design with just eyes and a beak to a far more complicated turkey with different coloured feathers attached. It’s your craft, make it how your toddler wants!
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Paper Plate Butterfly Craft
A lighter, calmer craft that’s great for symmetry, colour play, and letting toddlers decide exactly how bright is too bright. Each butterfly looks different, meaning it’s impossible to go wrong with this one!
Paper Plate Bee Craft
This bee is the perfect Spring time craft for toddlers. Bright and colourful, yet simple and fun. This paper plate bee requires very little cutting or glueing which allows your little one to focus on splashing paint everywhere instead!
Paper Plate Ladybug
Another classic Spring craft. We made our version with black love hearts to replace the dots and cut a few trickier shapes when making the legs and wings. Perfect for more advanced crafty kids.
Paper Plate Frog
We had loads of fun making this one! There are many different variations on how to make this paper craft frog but we were delighted with how our version turned out. We gave our frog huge eyes and a long curly tongue alongside some cute dimples made with pom poms to really make him stand out. One of our favourite things about our frog is that it can easily be turned into a mask and Robbie found it hilarious when i sneaked up on him wearing our creation!
Paper Plate Fish Craft
We love making littles fishies! Similar to the butterfly designs, the greatest thing about this paper plate craft is the endless variations of colours and designs.
We have made loads of these over time and each one looks different. Simply cut a triangle from one side, glue it to the other end and you have a fish outline. After that, go crazy with the decorating!
Vehicle paper plate toddler crafts
If your toddler loves anything with wheels, vehicle crafts are an easy win. They’re also great for storytelling and imaginative play once the glue dries.
Paper Plate Car Craft
One of our most popular crafts. Simple shapes, minimal prep, and plenty of room for toddlers to add their own “design features”. You only need to cut and glue a couple of simple shapes as the natural shape of a paper plate does the rest.
Paper Plate Fire Engine Craft
A slightly bolder craft with bright colours and lots of excitement. Siren noises optional, but likely.
Following a similar template to the cars but with a few more options when it comes to adding details. A ladder on top, sirens, writing on the side and a driver are all optional.
Seasonal and themed paper plate crafts for toddlers
Seasonal crafts are a great way to make activities feel special without adding pressure. These work well as quick wins around key times of year.
They are an easy option for both home and nursery as well as being a nice, cheap personal gift for special occasions.
Paper Plate Heart Craft
A simple Valentine’s Day activity that focuses more on fun and colour than perfect heart shapes. No intricate cutting and as little or as much glue as you like, this doesn’t need much though as it’s all from the heart (get it?).
Paper Plate Earth Day Craft
A gentle introduction to talking about the planet, using paint, glue, and very relaxed expectations. The finished craft will hopefully at least resemble our planet and you can spend time discussing what Earth Day is all about whilst crafting.
Paper Plate Dreamcatcher Craft
A calmer craft that works well for slightly older toddlers and pre-k, especially those who enjoy threading and decorating. This one is a little more fiddly and time consuming but great for those needing more of a challenge.
Easter Bunny Paper Plate Craft
Nothing says Easter like a bunny. Well other than an egg made of chocolate, obviously. This is another craft suitable for toddlers and pre-k of all abilities due to its flexibility. First try, just paint a simple face on the plate. More advanced kids can cut out and add their own bunny ears and use different materials to make the face.
Father’s Day Trophy Craft
Well this is a Dad blog. It would be wrong not to include a paper plate Father’s Day craft! To make a World’s best Dad trophy, all you need is a yellow paper plate and a creative kid.
To make this craft, simply cut the plate in half and use one half for the trophy top. Cut the base and body from the other half and glue it all together.
Then comes the fun part, letting your toddler pick and write his own message and add the decorations. This can easily be changed to a Mother’s Day or even a birthday craft too.
Paper Plate Sun
The perfect craft for those good Summer vibes! Robbie and I really enjoyed making this one as it is nice and simple yet brightens up any room.
All you need is a paper plate and some card, everything else is optional. We added googly eyes and some rosy pom-pom ball cheeks, but you can design your own sun however you choose.
Paper Plate Character Crafts For Kids
Character crafts are some of our favourites because kids instantly recognise them and usually end up playing with them long after the craft is finished.
All of the crafts below were suggested by Robbie himself, leaving Dad with no choice but to help make themx With that in mind, apologies for some of the slightly stranger characters in this section!
Paper plate Spiderman mask
This one gave us far more entertainment than I expected! These masks are really simple to make and lead naturally into fun, imaginative play straight away.
The web drawing may be a little complicated for toddlers but they can still help out, particulary with painting the plate red and far more importantly…. Spending the afternoon being Spiderman!
Many of the paper plate crafts that we make can easily be turned into masks just be cutting a couple of small holes and adding a little string or elastic. This adds a whole new element of fun to the crafts too!
Puffaball Steal A Brainrot Roblox craft
I know what you’re thinking… I had no idea who this was either! I asked Robbie to make a Brainrot craft with me and fully expected him to name a main character. How wrong I was.
Still, this Puffaball is actually really cute and fun to make though there is a lot of cutting and glueing involved.
Peppa Pig Toddler Craft
One of the simplest crafts on the list, making it an ideal first paper plate craft for a toddler!
Peppa Pig is one of the most popular characters in the world of 2-4 year olds and this craft really works for that age group.
A simple design, very little cutting and a short craft time make this fun and friendly pig one of the very best paper plate crafts.
If your kid wants more, you can always make George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig using a very similar style.
This is a great craft to add string to the designs and make them into masks… If your toddler wants to look like a pig!
Garten Of Banban Craft
Well this one is a bit niche. Robbie is obsessed with Garten of Banban right now so it just had to make the list!
If you’re wondering what on Earth Banban is, it is a kids video game in the slightly contradictory ‘kids horror’ category.
The Banban craft itself is pretty simple to make and the character designs in the Banban games are simple enough that you can make plenty of them with paper plates. That might even get them away from the screens for a while!
Choosing the right paper plate craft for your toddler
Not every craft works every day — and that’s completely normal.
- Short attention span? Choose something with fewer steps
- Lots of energy? Painting or big movements work best
- Tired or overstimulated? Stickers and sticking are calmer
- Low patience day? Let them help with just one part
Finishing the craft is optional. Enjoying part of it still counts.
Tips for making paper plate crafts toddler-friendly
The best paper plate crafts for toddlers aren’t the most detailed ones — they’re the ones that leave room for choice, mistakes, and short attention spans.
A few simple tweaks can make almost any craft more toddler-friendly:
- Prep tricky parts in advance, like cutting shapes or holes
- Offer choices (two colours instead of ten)
- Let toddlers help with setup, even if it slows things down
- Skip steps if interest drops — the craft doesn’t need to be finished
It’s also worth remembering that toddlers often enjoy the process more than the result. Painting the plate might be the activity, not turning it into a recognisable animal — and that’s perfectly fine.
Craft supplies you’ll use again and again
You don’t need much to get started:
- Paper plates
- Child-safe paint
- Glue sticks or PVA glue
- Coloured paper or card
- Googly eyes (optional, but always a hit)
Keeping a small craft box ready makes it much easier to say yes when your toddler suddenly wants to “make something”.
More paper plate crafts coming soon
This collection will keep growing as we try new ideas and revisit old favourites. If paper plates are your go-to craft base, it’s worth bookmarking this page and checking back.
Paper plate craft FAQs
What age are paper plate crafts suitable for?
Most of these crafts work well for ages 2–5, with adult supervision. Younger toddlers can help with painting and sticking, while adults handle cutting.
Do I need paint for paper plate crafts?
No — crayons, markers, coloured paper, or stickers work just as well if paint feels like too much that day.
How long do these activities take?
Most can be started in 10–15 minutes, with drying time depending on paint and patience levels.
Are paper plate crafts messy?
They can be — but they’re usually easier to control than many other craft activities. Using washable paint, glue sticks, and table covers keeps cleanup manageable, and many crafts can be adapted to be paint-free.
Can paper plate crafts be reused?
Some can. Plates used for colouring or sticking can be saved for imaginative play later, while others are more about the making than the keeping. Either way, the value is in the activity itself.
Paper plate crafts for toddlers don’t need to be perfect to be valuable. If your toddler had fun, got involved, and felt proud of what they made, that’s more than enough! We find these crafts to be the perfect Father and Son activity and hope you have as much fun making them as we do.
Want to make a paper plate craft right now? Try these:
Hi, I’m Steve. I’m a dad to a seven-year-old and the founder of The Diary of Dad. Having navigated everything from the newborn days to big-kid milestones, I share honest parenting advice and simple, low-prep kids’ crafts and activities to help other families make the most of every stage.