Paper plate animals are so fun to make, and this bold and colorful paper plate bird craft for kids is no exception!  There are so many lessons at play in this project – from motor skills, to shapes, to art history (keep reading!) – making this project “soar” above the rest (ha! Get it?). 

Plus, using our free paper plate bird template (which you can download below), makes this project a breeze!

Paper Plate Bird Craft Supply List

As with all projects on Paper Plate Fun, the listed supplies are what we used to create the project pictured in this post.  We encourage you to modify supplies to work with what you already have on hand!

• Paper plate
• Paper plate bird template (click to download it for free)
• Black permanent marker
• Oil pastel crayons
• Glue
• Fuzzy chenille stems (similar to pipe cleaners but larger and fuzzier)
• Google eye
• Tape

How to Make a Colorful Paper Plate Bird

Step One

Begin by printing the paper plate bird template from the supply list above.  Once printed, cut out the individual pieces and trace them onto a paper plate as shown in the photo below.  All of the pieces for this paper plate bird craft fit into one paper plate, leaving little waste!

If you don’t want to print the template, try to freehand the shapes on the paper plate and make your bird your own!

Step Two

Cut out the shapes from the paper plate. 

Step Three

Have children use a black permanent marker to draw lines and shapes on all pieces of the paper plate that have been cut apart. 

Step Four

Once the marker-drawn shapes are dry, color the paper plate pieces in lots of bold colors with oil pastel crayons.  Oil pastels work great for creating a rich and vibrant color on the paper plate!  If you don’t have oil pastels available, crayons will work in a pinch, as will markers! 

This bold graphic print and colors combination is reminiscent of the artwork of Keith Haring, whose work rose to prominence in the 1980’s and is seen all over today!  Haring’s work is very popular with children, making him a wonderful artist to study with kids.  The Keith Haring Foundation even has a website filled with art history information and lesson plans for kids!

Step Five

Once all of the bird’s body parts are colored, glue the paper plate pieces onto the bird. 

Step Six

Then, glue a googly eye onto the bird’s head so that this paper plate bird can see the world around him or her! 

Step Seven

Cut chenille stems into pieces that are about 3″ long.  Fold them into an “L” shape and tape them onto the back of the paper plate bird.  Tape works better than glue for holding the stems in place.  This will serve as the bird’s feet. 

Step Eight

Finally, use the scissors again to fringe the bird’s feathered tail. 

With that, this paper plate bird is ready to take off! 

If you enjoyed this paper plate kids craft, please be sure to share it on Pinterest or with your friends! 

And, check out our ever-growing gallery of paper plate kids crafts!  We’re a new website but constantly adding new project ideas.

Ocean-themed crafts are a favorite with kids because the ocean holds so many mysteries, and, of course, adorable sea creatures!  Seahorses are among the cutest ocean dwellers, so this paper plate seahorse craft is sure to be a hit with any kids in your life.  Plus, the free downloadable seahorse template makes this kids craft a breeze!

Supplies Needed to Make a Paper Plate Seahorse Craft

As with all of the paper plate crafts on Paper Plate Fun, these supplies are the ones we used in this post.  Modify the supply list to suit your needs, for what you have on hand, and/or for the ages of the children with whom you’re working!

• Paper plate
• Seahorse template (click here to download)
• Scissors
• Bubble wrap
• Optional: paint brush
• Paint
• Glue
• Glitter
• Googly eyes

Instructions for Making a Paper Plate Seahorse Craft

Because we used paint on our seahorse craft, this project took about 45 minutes from start to completion.  If you use crayons, markers, or other coloring mediums, your seahorse project can be finished faster.

Step One

Begin by printing the seahorse template from the supply list above.  If you don’t want to print it, you can freehand draw your own template!  Once printed, cut it out and trace it onto a paper plate, with the seahorse’s fin lining up with the outermost edge of the paper plate.

Step Two

Cut out the seahorse from the paper plate.

Step Three

Cut a small piece of bubble wrap to use as a stamp.  Dab it in paint or apply a thin coat of paint to the bubble wrap.

TIP: We found that it works better to apply the paint to the bubble wrap with a brush, because the thin coat of paint allows the bubble pattern to be more prominent when used as a stamp.  If the bubble wrap is dipped directly into the paint, the paint may go on too thick and cause the stamp not to work as well.

Step Four

Press the bubble wrap stamp onto the paper plate seahorse to create a colorful bubble pattern all over the seahorse.

Repeat this bubble wrap stamping process with different colors to create a layered color effect, much like real seahorses have in the wild!

Step Five

Apply thin lines of glue to the seahorse’s ridged fin and head, and then sprinkle with glitter.  This will create a shimmering effect like seahorses sometimes have.  Plus, who doesn’t love glitter?  (OK, a lot of people don’t love glitter!  If you’re one of them, substitute glue and glitter with pre-mixed glitter glue!)

Step Six

Glue a googly eye onto the seahorse to complete this project!  Then set aside to dry.

Display a group of finished paper plate seahorses (or a “herd” of seahorses) together for a colorful under-the-sea craft!

The variations in color and texture will be beautiful together!

If you enjoyed this paper plate seahorse craft, please make sure to share it to Pinterest!