Paper Plate Spider Craft

Looking for a simple Halloween craft that doesn’t require fancy supplies, perfect results, or a trip to the craft shop? This paper plate spider craft is an easy, low-pressure activity that toddlers can genuinely enjoy — even if it ends with glue on the table and googly eyes in the wrong place.

An Easy Halloween Activity for Toddlers

It’s quick to set up, great for practising fine motor skills, and spooky enough to feel festive without being scary. Most importantly, it’s one of those crafts where there’s no real way to get it wrong.

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Why Paper Plate Crafts Work So Well For Toddlers

Paper plate crafts are ideal for toddlers because they’re:

• Cheap and easy to replace
• Big enough for little hands to control
• Forgiving when things get messy or uneven

This spider is especially good because toddlers can help with painting, sticking, and counting legs — all at their own pace.

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What you’ll need

You probably already have most of this at home:

• 1 paper plate
• Black paint (or white paint + black pen/crayon)
• Paintbrush or sponge
• Glue (PVA or glue stick)
• Black card or paper (for legs)
• Googly eyes (optional but highly recommended)
• Scissors (adult use only)

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How to make a paper plate spider

1. Paint the paper plate

Paint the paper plate black and set it aside to dry.
If painting isn’t today’s vibe, you can leave it white and colour it later — toddlers are very forgiving about spider realism.

💡 Tip: A sponge dabber is often easier than a brush for little hands.

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2. Cut out the legs

While the plate dries, cut eight long strips from black card to use as spider legs.
They don’t need to match — uneven legs just add character.

If your toddler is older, let them help by:

• Choosing how long the legs should be
• Counting them out loud together

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3. Stick on the legs

Glue four legs to each side of the plate, sticking them underneath so they fan out slightly.

This is a great moment for toddlers to:

• Practise positioning
• Learn left and right
• Change their mind repeatedly (very on-brand)

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4. Add the face

Stick on googly eyes — two, three, or more if that’s how the day is going.

Optional extra details (totally optional!)

Once your spider is assembled, you can easily add a bit more character if you want to.

• Fangs: Cut two small white triangles from paper and glue them just under the mouth to give your spider a friendly (not too scary) Halloween look.
• Bendy legs: If you’re using pipe cleaners, gently bend them into a loose zig-zag shape. This makes the spider look more “creepy crawly” and gives little hands something fun to fiddle with.
• Extra face detail: A red paper smile or felt strip instantly brings the spider to life — especially good if your toddler prefers cute over spooky.

None of these are essential though. A simple black plate with eyes and legs works just as well, especially for younger toddlers or quicker crafting sessions.

Once everything’s attached, leave it to dry… or accept that it will be picked up immediately anyway.

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Making this work with toddlers (realistic expectations)

This craft works best when:

• You accept it won’t look “Pinterest perfect”
• Your toddler loses interest halfway through
• You finish the last step while they run off

That still counts.

The goal is:

• Shared time
• Sensory play
• Letting them feel involved — not producing a masterpiece

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Easy variations to try

If you want to stretch this activity a bit further:

• Leg counting game: Count the legs together as you stick them on
• Hanging spider: Punch a hole and hang it with string
• Glow spider: Add glow-in-the-dark stickers or paint
• Halloween set: Make a spider, pumpkin, and ghost over a few days

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More paper plate crafts for toddlers

If this went down well, you might also like:

• Paper Plate Cars
• Paper Plate Turkey Craft
• Paper Plate Heart Craft

All of these are part of our growing paper plate crafts for toddlers collection — simple activities designed for real homes, not perfect ones.

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FAQs

Is this spider craft suitable for 2-year-olds?

Yes — with supervision. Painting and sticking eyes are ideal toddler tasks, while adults should handle scissors.

Can I make this without paint?

Absolutely. Use a plain plate and colour it with crayons or markers instead.

How long does it take?

Around 15–20 minutes, plus drying time — or shorter if attention spans say otherwise.

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If you try this spider craft, expect mess, laughter, and at least one leg to fall off. That’s all part of the fun!