Easy Paper Plate Caterpillar Craft for Kids

Ready to dive into a delightful project that captures the magic of crafting with your kids? Today, we’re making a paper plate caterpillar craft for kids, and I promise, it’s as fun as it sounds.

Caterpillars fascinate children, often becoming one of their first little critter friends through storybooks and preschool projects.

This craft isn’t just another activity, it’s a way to spark that wonderful curiosity and creativity in your child.

Plus,  it’s not only super simple to create but also incredibly charming and colorful.

So, gather your supplies (I have listed them below), and let’s start this creative journey with easy, step-by-step instructions and helpful images to guide you along.

Step 1: Things You Will Need For This Paper Plate Caterpillar Craft

• Paper Plate: I have used a regular paper plate as the base of the Caterpillar craft activity as seen in the image above. The patterns on the paper plate doesn’t matter as I will apply watercolor.
• Paint and a paintbrush: To apply color to the paper plate as per the Caterpillar’s theme, I have used green shades of regular watercolor and a paintbrush. Additionally, I have also used yellow to shade the facial structure of the caterpillar.
• Glue and scissor: To cut the Paper Plate as per the desired shapes I have used a scissor. A multipurpose glue will be required to stick the elements together.
• Marker Pen: You can use marker pens to draw the eyes and the mouth shape of the Caterpillar.

Step 2: Shaping the Paper Plate

I started with the core steps by cutting the paper plate to create the caterpillar’s structure.

Using scissors, I carefully cut out the circular central part of the plate, just like in image 2.2 above.

I made sure not to discard any part of the paper plate since every piece would be used to complete the caterpillar’s structure.

Step 3: Painting the Paper Plate Pieces

Next, I cut the borders of the paper plate into two parts and used watercolors and a paintbrush to apply green shades.

As shown in image 3.1 above, I painted one part light green and the other dark green.

Then, I applied yellow paint to the circular shape of the paper plate, as seen in image 3.2 above.

Note: I let the painted pieces dry for a while before moving on to the next steps.

Step 4: Cutting the Caterpillars Body Shapes

The watercolors took about 5 to 7 minutes to dry, so I moved on to shaping them further. I set aside the yellow piece to use as the caterpillar’s face.

Then, I cut the green portions of the paper plate into 8 pieces, 4 from each shade of light and dark green.

As shown in image 4.2 above, I also trimmed the corners to create curvy edges. Now, it was time to assemble them in the next step.

Step 5: Assembling the Caterpillar Shapes

I arranged and glued the dark and light pieces of the paper plate alternately.

Then, I attached the yellow circle, which serves as the caterpillar’s face, to the front.

For the facial structure, I cut two small strips of green paper and glued them on as antennas. Finally, I used black and red marker pens to draw the caterpillar’s eyes and mouth.

The best part is that this caterpillar can stand upright, as shown in the final image above.

Video Walkthrough of paper plate caterpillar craft for kids

Final Thoughts

As a parent or educator, I highly recommend incorporating hands-on activities like this into playtime or classroom sessions.

The use of repurposed materials like paper plates promotes eco-friendliness and resourcefulness from an early age.

I would suggest extending this project by encouraging children to personalize their caterpillars with unique patterns or names, fostering a sense of ownership and pride in their creations.

Overall, this craft is an excellent blend of education, fun, and sustainability.

Note: I have also shared the complete video walkthrough of this paper plate Caterpillar craft on our official YouTube channel for your reference.

Frequently Asked Questions