Cute and Easy Paper Plate Animal Crafts

Feel like getting crafty with the kids, but want to keep it simple? Here’s our list of paper plate animal crafts to the rescue! Paper plates are perfect for crafting because they’re super cheap, and they’re more durable than paper when it comes to painting and cutting them.

That makes them ideal for crafting with a group of kids, either at home or school. You probably have paper plates in your kitchen or a closet right now, so there’s no reason not to get started right away!

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From trendy llamas to adorable penguins to exotic giraffes and pandas, you’re sure to find something cute and easy to make in this list. Gather the kids, your paper plates, and a few other craft supplies and get to work making one of these paper plate animals. It’s a great way to spend a rainy day indoors with the kids!

Cute and Easy Paper Plate Animal Crafts

Paper Plate Clothespin Hedgehog from Our Kid Things:

Children will get plenty of fine motor practice painting, gluing, and adding clothespins to this sweet little hedgehog.

Paper Plate Llama from Kids Craft Room:

Llamas are still very trendy in the craft community, and if your kiddo loves llamas as much as we do, you don’t want to miss this craft. They would make cute valentines but are fun at any time of year. Wrapping the neck with yarn and adding mini pom-poms give kids additional fine motor practice to improve their skills.

Paper Plate Flamingo from The Inspiration Edit:

Kids will love making this flaming craft thanks to all the different materials and textures! Felt, foam, pipe cleaners, and pom-poms are all so fun to touch and create with.

Paper Plate Penguin from Simple Everyday Mom:

Aren’t penguins the cutest things? The provided template makes this craft easy to assemble. It’s quite simple, too, so if you’re crafting with toddlers and preschoolers, this is a great choice.

Paper Plate Ringtail Possum from The Craft Train:

The ringtail possum is a common Australian marsupial, and kids will be delighted to make this cute creature. This activity is a great time to talk about both nocturnal animals and marsupials!

Paper Plate Fish from Natural Beach Living:

Read The Rainbow Fish book with the kids, and then get out the craft supplies to make a rainbow fish of your own! What a fun craft for an ocean unit.

Rocking Paper Plate Shark from Artsy Momma:

Speaking of ocean animals, your kiddo will have a blast making this rocking shark. If it doesn’t drive you mad, you can even make a family of sharks to act out and sing the Baby Shark song.

Paper Plate Octopus from Easy Peasy and Fun:

You only need paper plates, paint, and paper to make this adorable octopus! Do you know what would be extra fun? You could put something on each arm, like the foods an octopus eats, or even some silly things like an ice cream or beach ball.

Paper Plate Panda from I Heart Crafty Things:

Can it get any cuter than a panda bear hugging a tree? I don’t think so! Because this craft uses lots of staples and has multiple parts, it is better suited to older kids for independent crafting, but preschoolers will enjoy it, too, with a little help.

Paper Plate Lion from Kids Activities Blog:

This is a fun project to make either before or after a visit to the zoo. But if you’re stuck indoors in rainy or snowy weather, you could also watch The Lion King and then make this handsome lion with his majestic mane.

Paper Plate Groundhog from Simply Today Life:

This little guy is a fun Groundhog Day activity, but you could also make it as part of a study on rodents. Or how about the tongue twister, “How much wood could a woodchuck chuck…?” This would be a great addition to learning that!

Paper Plate Giraffe from Craft Create Cook:

Giraffes are adorable and gangly; what’s not to love? This is another fun post-zoo craft that the kids will enjoy either just for fun or as part of a unit study on zoo animals or African animals.

Paper Plate Crab from Pastels and Macarons:

Kids love seeing these little critters scooting across the beach, so this is a fun activity before or after a beach trip. This is simple enough to do with toddlers, too, though they’ll need a little help with the taping and gluing.

Paper Plate Bird from Artsy Craftsy Mom:

Strengthen fine motor skills with this torn paper and paper plate bird craft. Gluing layers of torn paper gives kids a bit of quiet time to focus and be creative, and the result is this beautiful, colorful bird.

Paper Plate Walrus from Crafts on Sea:

If you’re studying arctic animals, make these cute walruses. If you don’t have brown paint, mix blue and orange (as indicated in the post) for a quick little lesson on color mixing.

Paper Plate Turkey from Red Ted Art:

Gobble, gobble! Thanksgiving is the perfect time to make this turkey craft, but it would also be fantastic for a unit study on birds. The cone-shaped feathers are gorgeous!

Paper Plate Rabbit from Crafts by Amanda:

While most paper plate rabbits look like Easter bunnies, this one looks like the real thing. With its movable legs, you can make it look like it’s hopping across your table.

Paper Plate Butterflies from Pink Stripey Socks:

The best thing about these butterflies is that you can go wild with colors, and they’ll still look gorgeous. You’ll all have fun fluttering them around the house or yard after you’ve finished making them!

Which animal paper plate craft is first on your list? Pin this post to save them for the next time you need crafting inspiration!

You May Also Enjoy The Following Craft Ideas!

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• Cotton Ball Sheep Paper Plate Craft
• DIY Penguin Bookmarks – Kids Will Love
• Easy Koala Paper Craft Idea For Kids
• How To Make A Pokemon Pikachu Bookmark – Paper Craft

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