Today I’m going to share my latest craft idea for kids i.e. a paper plate octopus.
This delightful sea animal craft is perfect for little hands and big imaginations.
Using a simple paper plate octopus template, you can create a charming ocean craft in just minutes.
This engaging sea craft is not only fun but also educational, teaching children about marine life while fostering creativity.
In this article you’ll learn:
- How to color and cut the paper plate to get the shapes?
- How to prepare/download the printable octopus craft template?
- Step-by-step process to assemble the paper plate octopus.
But first, let’s take a quick look at the list of items I have used to craft the Octopus structure in step 1 below.
Step 1: Things You’ll Need for paper plate octopus craft
- Paper Plate: I have used a small sized paper plate as the base of the octopus craft, however, you can customize the structure using medium or larger paper plates.
- Paint and Paintbrush: To shade the paper plate resembling the color of the octopus I have used Blue acrylic paint and a paintbrush.
- Scissor: I have used a standard craft scissor to cut and shape the paper plate and also to cut the shapes from the ready template.
- Glue: To stick the Cut outs from the template to the paper plate I have used a multipurpose glue.
- Octopus Template: To obtain the shapes for assembling purposes you will need a template which can be accessed through step 2.
Estimated Time To Complete This Paper Plate Octopus Craft: It took about 12 minutes for me to craft the Paper Plate Octopus structure using the ready template and the total time includes the painting and its drying time.
Step 2: Preparing/Downloading The Paper Plate Octopus Template
Take a look at the image above to see the octopus template, featuring its mouth, curving legs, eyes, and body shades.
I’ve created the template with blank outlines so you can personalize it with your favorite colors.
Best of all, this paper plate octopus template is completely free to download and print with just a few clicks.
Step 3: Shaping and Shading the Paper Plate
With all the necessary craft elements ready, it was time to proceed with the core steps of the paper plate octopus craft.
First, I grabbed the paper plate and shaped it to resemble the head or upper body of a typical octopus.
I cut the paper plate using a standard craft scissor, as shown in the images above.
To ensure an even shape for the octopus’s upper body, I made sure to cut the paper plate properly.
Next, I applied blue acrylic paint to the paper plate to shade the octopus’s upper body, as seen in image 3.2 above.
Although standard watercolors could achieve a similar effect, acrylic paints offered a glossy finish that enhanced the structure.
Alternatively, if you have a blue or any other shaded paper plate, you could use that as well.
Step 4: Cutting the Template Shapes
It was now time to cut the shapes from the octopus template for later assembly. I used blue and shades of purple for the shapes.
That being said, feel free to choose your own colors to customize the paper plate octopus structure as per your liking.
Step 5: Preparing the Octopus’s Upper Body
With the Octopus’s body structure and template shapes ready, it was time to assemble them.
I began by preparing the upper body structure of the octopus.
For the body shades, I aligned them all around to find the best spots and then stuck them in place.
Next, I attached the eyes, cheeks, and mouth shapes to complete the octopus’s facial structure.
Step 6: Assembling the Octopus’s Legs
We have now reached the final step of the paper plate octopus craft i.e. assembling its eight legs.
It is important to attach the legs properly to form an even structure.
So, I started by aligning legs of similar shades and shapes on opposite sides of the structure, as seen in image 6.1 above.
Next, I aligned and stuck the remaining legs one by one, letting the glue dry for a while.
The paper plate octopus was now complete and ready to bring delight to the little ones’ faces.
Video Walkthrough of paper plate octopus craft for kids
Final Thoughts
This paper plate octopus craft is a fantastic way to engage children in a fun, educational activity. Thus, I highly recommend this project for its simplicity and adaptability.
Don’t hesitate to experiment with different colors or add extra decorations like glitter or sequins to make each octopus unique.
This craft can be a gateway to discussions about marine life and ocean conservation, adding an educational dimension to playtime.
So gather your supplies, download the free template, and get started with this delightful sea-themed adventure.
Note: For your reference I have also shared the complete video walkthrough of the paper plate Octopus craft on our official YouTube channel.
