Paper Plate Crafts

If you are fresh out of ideas to brighten the faces of bored children on a rainy day, perhaps the answer to your dilemma is right in your kitchen cabinet—paper plate crafts. While certainly handy to provide a respite from the after dinner clean-up, paper plates can also be the source of artistic entertainment for kids of all ages.

Paper Plate Crafts: Animals

Animals are nearly always a hit with children, and there are plenty of them that can be easily created with paper plates and a few other crafting supplies.

Animal masks can be great fun for the small children, giving them a creative outlet in the construction of an animal face, as well as hours of pretend play with their finished masterpiece. With a few crayons and a bit of construction paper to craft ears, manes, noses, and other details to be attached with glue or tape, your child could be an elephant, rabbit, lion, tiger, or bear for the day.

For the older child, paper plate projects that are a bit more complex may be more appropriate. Animal mobiles can be done with paper plates, using one as a base, cut into a spiral. Animals, cut from paper plates or construction paper and decorated with any number of details can then be hung with thread from different points on the spiral. These can be done in a jungle theme, using monkeys, snakes, lions, and tigers, or perhaps a farm animal mobile, with cows, horses, and chickens.

Holiday Paper Plate Projects

Paper plate projects are quite versatile, making it easy to find a selection to suit most any occasion. From table centerpieces to wreaths, wall hangings, and other holiday decorations, paper plate masterpieces can brighten any season.

Wreaths are quite easy to do with a paper plate foundation, simply cut the center away for the proper shape, then decorate with various ornaments to fit the occasion in question. For Independence Day, stars cut from red, white, and blue construction paper and glued onto your paper plate wreath make a great decoration. Add a big ribbon bow at the bottom, and place them about the yard to brighten that Fourth of July barbecue. For Valentine's Day, your children can decorate paper plate wreaths with hearts, flowers, ribbons, and chocolates made of tissue paper or construction paper. St. Patrick's Day wreaths can be done with shamrocks and leprechauns, and of course, the rainbow with its pot of gold. With so many holiday themes to work with, the possibilities for new and different paper plate wreath projects are endless.

Do it Yourself Toys

Children can make number of toy projects from simple paper plates. Paper plate maracas are made by putting two paper plates together with tape or staples after placing beads, dried beans, or popcorn seeds in the center to produce the rattle sounds. These can be decorated with paint or markers, and handles can be made with Popsicle sticks. Adding ribbons or streamers around the edges can be a nice finishing touch.

Paper plate wind twisters can be great fun to make and to watch once they are complete and hung outdoors to flow with the wind. These are quite simple to do, although younger children may need assistance with the cutting work. First, draw a spiral pattern from the center of your paper plate to the outer edge. Then, color or paint the plate in bright colors or patterns. Once the decorating is done, cut along your line to make a spiral, and attach a string to the top edge for hanging from a tree branch or porch railing. With the springy spiral shape and bright patterns, these little creations are quite interesting to watch as they twist and flow in the breeze.

Paper Plates are Versatile and Fun

These are but a few examples of the hundreds of great paper plate crafts that you can use to entertain your children on rainy days or during those long weeks of summer vacation. With a bit of imagination, paper plates can become the cast of puppet characters for a show or a series of disguises for hours of fun..

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