13 Fun Ways to Play With Paper Plates

If there's one challenge that all parents share, it's finding new ways to keep kids entertained and engaged without having to spend a pile of money. I love when a single, inexpensive purchase leads to hours of fun for my kids. Take a package of paper plates, for example. On a recent trip to the dollar store, I tossed a few packs of plates in different shapes, sizes and colours into my basket, thinking my little ones could use them as makeshift paint palettes and homemade tambourines.

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A few weeks later and we're still finding fun new ways to put our plates to good use, much to the delight of my wee ones (and my wallet).

If you're looking for some easy, budget-friendly activities to keep your kiddos entertained, break out that stash of leftover plates from last year's birthday party and give these ideas a try:

1. Make a Simple Squishy Sensory Toy


What you’ll need: 


• 2 paper plates

• scissors

• tape

• glue
• a plastic zip-close bag

• hair gel

• food colouring
• glitter (optional)

Keep little fingers busy with this easy DIY sensory toy that wee ones will love to squish. To begin, flip a plate upside down, trace a simple shape on it and cut it out using scissors. This is the top.

Next, fill a plastic sealable bag with some hair gel (water beads make for an excellent squishy bag filler, too), food colouring and glitter (or if you're off glitter, anything colourful and textural) and then zip it shut. Tape the bag completely down to the second plate. This is the bottom.

The last step is gluing them together. Glue around the edge of the bottom plate and affix the top so it resembles a clam shell. Set aside until the glue has dried, and then let your little one explore. 

2. Identify Emotions

What you’ll need: 


• 1 paper plate
• scissors

• card stock or other stiff paper
• marker
• metal fasteners

Help your kiddo learn about feelings and boost their emotional intelligence with a little help from this mood-changing paper plate face. To begin, cut shapes for eyes, eyebrows, a nose and mouth out of card stock or other sturdy paper (we used a cereal box). Next, have your child colour the pieces with paint or markers.

Once the features are ready, attach them to the bottom of your paper plate using metal fasteners, so the features can move as needed. Hand over the plate and see how many emotions your little one can create by moving the features in different ways. 


3. Paint a Beautiful Butterfly

What you’ll need:

• two paper plates
• scissors
• paintbrush
• watercolour paint
• black marker
• a metal fastener

Bring the outdoors in with this sweet butterfly craft that's sure to be a hit with nature lovers. To begin, have your little one paint the back of a paper plate with a vibrant watercolour design. While they're busy painting, trace a simple butterfly shape on your second plate and cut out the wings, leaving the body in tact (as shown).

Have your child colour the butterfly's body with black marker while they wait for their watercolour creation to dry. Once the painted plate is ready, attach the two plates together in the centre using a metal fastener. Your kiddo can now spin the bottom plate, and watch as the butterfly's wings magically change colour!

4. Play Giant Tic-Tac-Toe

What you’ll need: 


• 10 paper plates
• paint

• paintbrush

• a roll of tape

If the weather outside is keeping you indoors, liven things up a bit with a game of giant tic-tac-toe! Have your little ones paint five 'X' plates and five 'O' plates, and set aside to dry (or use markers if you’re pressed for time). Meanwhile, create a game board on a large section of your floor using a roll of tape. Once your game pieces are ready, the fun can begin!

5. Make a Pompom Obstacle Course



What you’ll need: 


• a paper plate
• construction paper

• pompom (or marble)

• a glue stick

This simple pompom obstacle course activity is a fun way to help your child work on focus and problem-solving skills. To create the course, cut small strips of construction paper in different colours, and glue or tape to the top of a paper plate to create a series of tunnels. Drop a small pompom on the plate, and challenge your kiddo to manoeuvre it through each of the tunnels by carefully tilting the plate.

6. Help Kids Learn to Tell Time 


What you’ll need:

• two paper plates

• construction paper or card stock

• scissors

• a marker
• a metal fastener

Teaching your little one about the concept of time can prove to be a bit tricky. Once your child has mastered the “how many sleeps?” stage, you may want to start introducing them to the basics of reading a clock. This DIY plate clock is a handy tool that will help your kiddo learn to understand hours and minutes, and how they work together. 

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To assemble, cut hour and minute hands from a piece of construction paper and set aside. On your first paper plate, use a marker to make a clock face. Cut slits between each number so that they can be folded back, lift-the-flap style. On your second plate, write the time in five-minute increments. Then put the pieces together and secure using a metal fastener, and you’re ready to go.


7. Make Masks for Pretend Play

What you’ll need: 


• paper plates
• scissors
• craft sticks or straws

• construction paper
• markers

• glue or tape

You could easily go through an entire pack of paper plates with this mask-making activity, because it really lets your wee one’s creativity shine. Maybe they’ll design an elaborate mask with feathers and jewels, or paint a super cool superhero disguise. Provide a variety of craft materials and let their imagination do the rest! We kept it simple for this one and made a cute rabbit mask using construction paper, scissors and a glue stick. Our mask has a craft stick handle, but you can also make a hands-free version by piercing a hole on each side of the mask and attaching a piece of ribbon or string to create a tie.

8. Design Your Own Purse


Dress-up time just got even more stylish thanks to Jackie Currie, who shares a sweet craft for paper plate purses here.


9. Make a Magnet Maze

If your kiddo is a fan of Bookaboo, this paper plate maze activity is just the ticket. 

You’ll find more fun ways to play with magnets here.  

10. Start a band!

Little ones will love making music with their own custom paper plate tambourines! Whether you fill your tambourine with bells, shells, beans, or buttons, this noisy toy is sure to be a big hit. Jackie Currie shares instructions for making these colourful noisemakers here. 

11. Make Paper Plate Owls

Ready for some afternoon crafting fun? Break out the paper plates, paint and googly eyes, and let little ones get to work creating their very own parliament of owls. (Yes, a group of owls is called a parliament—whoo knew?) How-to instructions can be found here.

12. Craft Some Colourful Birds

Celebrate spring all year long with these colourful “rocking birdies.” Find out how to make them here.
 

13. Dream Catcher

Painted paper plates are the frames for these simple DIY dream catchers. This beautiful craft also helps to introduce young kids to Indigenous culture and beliefs, as dream catchers originated in the Ojibwe Nation. As your little ones work on creating their own dream catchers, you can share its history and the significance of each of its parts.