Paper plates aren’t just for picnics anymore. As someone who’s always looking for budget-friendly craft materials, I’ve discovered these humble kitchen staples can be changed into amazing creations.
And the best part? You probably already do have a stack of them sitting in your cupboard right now, don’t you?
DIY Crafts With Paper Plates
1. Flying Disc
Create a fun outdoor toy with minimal effort. Paint the plate in bright colors, and make sure to let it dry completely.
Add stickers or drawings for extra flair. We tested ours at the park, and it actually flew better than expected, just avoid windy days.
2. Paper Plate Tambourine
Create sound with two plates, staples, and some dried beans, decorate the outside of both plates.
Place beans between them, staple the edges together, and add ribbons for extra pizzazz. The sound is surprisingly good for a homemade instrument.
3. Ocean Scene Porthole
Make your wall into an underwater view. Paint the plate blue, and add fish, seaweed, and coral cutouts.
Create depth by layering elements. This craft can spark your kid’s interest in marine life, and she might want to learn about different fish species.
4. Flying Paper Plate Birds
Create swooping birds for a mobile. Paint the plates in various colors. Cut them into bird shapes. Add wings and tails.
Hang them from the ceiling with fishing line, they spin gracefully with any slight breeze.
5. Miniature Stage Theater
Build a puppet show venue, by cutting a large window in one plate. Paint and decorate the frame, and attach another plate behind it for stability.
My son performed his first puppet show using this setup, it sparked hours of creative storytelling.
6. Paper Plate Planets
Design a solar system mobile. Paint each plate to represent different planets, and make sure to add details like Saturn’s rings or Jupiter’s spots.
String them together at varying heights, this project taught my kids about space while having fun.
7. Paper Plate Snake
Make a slithering friend. Cut the plate in a spiral pattern, paint it with scales and patterns, and add a forked tongue and googly eyes.
This craft teaches patience and fine motor skills, and plus, it’s fun to hang them from the ceiling.
8. Paper Plate Flowers
Create a garden that never wilts, and paint plates in bright colors, cut petal shapes around the edges.
Layer different sizes for depth. These look amazing grouped together on a wall, they brighten up any room instantly.
9. Dinosaur Fossils
Create pretend paleontology finds, by coloring plates brown. Press toy dinosaurs into modeling clay, make imprints on the plates.
These sparked endless discussions about prehistoric life, now we can’t skip the dinosaur section at museums.
10. Hanging Planters
Change those plates into suspended gardens. Punch holes for hanging, paint with waterproof paint, and don’t forget to add drainage holes.
Small succulents fit perfectly, they’ve brightened up our kitchen window for months now.
11. Story Wheel
Create an interactive storytelling tool. Attach two plates with a brad, cut windows in the top plate, and draw story elements on the bottom plate.
Kids spin it to create random story combinations, it’s amazing how creative their tales become.
12. Paper Plate Turtle
Build a reptilian friend. Paint the bottom of a plate green, and add legs, head, and tail from construction paper.
Create shell patterns with paint. Even toddlers can help with this one, as they love making the spotted patterns.
13. Sun Catcher
Make window decorations. Cut designs in the plate’s center. Fill with transparent paper. Add beads and sequins.
The morning sun creates beautiful shadows through them, each one turns out completely unique.
14. Party Crowns
Design royal headwear, by cutting zigzag patterns along one edge. Add jewels, glitter, and ribbons, and make sure to measure head size carefully.
These have become birthday party favorites, every kid wants to wear one.
15. Paper Plate Pinwheel
Create spinning garden decorations. Cut curved lines from rim to center, color both sides differently, and attach to a dowel rod.
They spin beautifully in summer breezes, the colors blur together mesmerizingly.
16. Flying Saucer
Create alien spacecraft, by joining two plates rim-to-rim. Add windows and landing gear, then color with metallic colors.
These hang great from bedroom ceilings, some even hold small LED lights.
17. Paper Plate Tie-Dye Art
Start with white plates naturally. Spritz with water first, drop food coloring or watercolors, and then watch colors blend together.
My kitchen table got messy, but the results were stunning, these became wall decorations in our craft room.
Related: 19 DIY Crafts with Paper Stars
Conclusion
These paper plate crafts prove that creativity doesn’t require some unique out of the box material. You can make educational tools to decorative pieces, the possibilities seem endless.
Now, you can spend countless afternoons crafting with your kids using these simple supplies. The joy on their faces when completing a project is worth every minute.
Remember, the best part about these crafts isn’t just the final product, it’s the memories you create while making them.