Every fall, my kids start asking for crafts as soon as they spot the first orange leaf. Intrestingly, paper plate crafts are my go-to during the fall. They are cheap, easy to set up, and perfect for toddlers.
If you are looking for simple, fun, and mess-friendly paper plate fall crafts for kids, here are 20 of my favorite ideas, from pumpkins and scarecrows to owls and more.
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What You Need for Most Paper Plate Fall Crafts
Before we jump in, here is a quick list of supplies you will likely need at home:
- Plain white paper plates (any size)
- Orange, yellow, red, brown, and green paint
- Crayons or markers
- Child-safe scissors
- Glue sticks or white craft glue
- Construction paper in fall colours
- Googly eyes
- Tissue paper scraps
- Yarn or ribbon
That is it! Now let us get into the good stuff.
Also, if your little ones love hands-on creating, check out these 30 fine motor activities for toddlers that pair perfectly with crafting sessions.
1. Paper Plate Pumpkin Craft
Simply paint your paper plate orange and let it dry. Then cut a green stem and a leaf from construction paper and glue them on top. Your little one can also draw a jack-o’-lantern face with a black marker to make it extra fun. Furthermore, you can scrunch orange tissue paper and glue it on instead of paint for a really textured look.
📌 Read these too:
- 20 Easy Fall Nature Crafts for Kids
- 20 DIY Fall Crafts for Kids
- 15 Fall Sensory Activities for Kids
- fall printables for kids
2. Paper Plate Scarecrow
Cut yellow yarn into short strips and glue them around the top of the plate as hair. Then paint or draw a stitched smile, triangle nose, and button eyes. Additionally, cut a small hat from brown or black construction paper and glue it on top. This is one of those fall crafts for kids that turns out differently every single time, which makes it even more special.
3. Paper Plate Autumn Leaf Wreath
Cut the centre out of a paper plate to create a ring. Next, cut out leaf shapes from red, orange, yellow, and brown construction paper. Then glue those leaves all around the ring, overlapping them slightly for a full effect. Finally, add a ribbon loop at the top for hanging. This paper plate fall craft makes a beautiful autumn decoration for your front door or playroom wall.
You can also check out these 20 easy fall nature crafts for more wreath ideas using natural materials.
4. Paper Plate Owl Craft for Kids
Owls are such a perfect symbol of fall, and this craft is surprisingly easy to make. Paint the plate brown or dark orange. While it dries, cut small teardrop shapes from construction paper in different fall colours to make feathers. Glue those feathers in rows from the bottom up. Add two large googly eyes and a small orange or yellow triangle for the beak. Moreover, you can cut two small wings from another plate and attach them to the sides. Your kids will genuinely be proud of how cute this one turns out.
5. Paper Plate Apple Tree Craft
This is a great paper plate fall craft for talking about the seasons with younger kids. Paint the top half of the plate orange, red, or a mix of both to represent autumn leaves. Then cut a brown rectangle for the trunk and glue it to the bottom. Scrunch up tiny pieces of red tissue paper or construction paper and glue them on as apples. Simple, effective, and so pretty. Pair this activity with a quick chat about why leaves change colour in fall.
6. Paper Plate Turkey Craft
Thanksgiving is right around the corner from fall, and this one is always a huge hit. Trace your child’s hand on several sheets of colourful construction paper and cut them out. These become the turkey feathers. Glue the hand cutouts around the back of the plate to fan out. Then paint the plate brown for the body, add a small orange beak, red wattle, and googly eyes. Honestly, this is one of those paper plate fall crafts that grandparents absolutely love to receive as a gift.
📌 Related Reads:
- 20 Fall Sensory Bin Ideas
- Fall Printables for Kids (Free)
- 50 Easy Toddler Play Ideas Moms Can Set Up Fast
- 30 Indoor Activities for Toddlers
7. Paper Plate Sunflower Craft
Sunflowers are one of the most beautiful parts of early fall, and this craft captures that perfectly. Paint the centre of the paper plate dark brown or black. Next, cut large petal shapes from yellow construction paper and glue them around the edge of the plate. You can also add green leaves on the sides for a finishing touch. This is one of those paper plate fall crafts that works just as well for toddlers as it does for school-age kids.
If your toddler loves nature-themed play, you will also love these 25 easy sensory bin ideas for toddlers.
8. Paper Plate Fall Leaf Printing
Collect a few real leaves from outside. Then coat each leaf with paint and press it firmly onto the paper plate. Lift the leaf carefully to reveal a beautiful print. Repeat with different leaves and colours until the plate is full. This is genuinely one of the most exciting paper plate fall crafts for toddlers because they get to use real autumn leaves.
Also read these:
- 25 Aesthetic Paper Craft Ideas
- 25 easy toddler activities at home
- 30 forest school activities for kids
9. Paper Plate Fox Craft
Paint the plate orange and let it dry completely. Then cut a white triangle from paper and glue it in the lower centre of the plate as the fox’s snout. Cut two orange triangle ears with white insides and attach them to the top. Add black or white paper triangles for the nose and small black eyes. Finally, draw whiskers with a black marker. This is a fun paper plate fall craft that even very young kids can help with, especially the painting part.
10. Paper Plate Corn Cob Craft
Indian corn is such a classic fall symbol, and this craft is super easy to recreate. Cut the paper plate into a long oval shape or use a smaller plate. Paint the plate yellow, orange, and brown in sections to look like colourful harvest corn. Then cut long green strips from construction paper and glue them along the sides and bottom as husks. Tape a craft stick to the back as the handle if you like. This is a wonderful fall craft for kids that also makes a great decoration for your autumn table.
11. Paper Plate Acorn Craft
You will need two paper plates for this one. Paint one plate brown for the bottom of the acorn. For the cap, tear small pieces of brown paper bag or crumple brown tissue paper and glue them onto the second plate to create a bumpy, textured cap. Then glue the cap onto the top of the painted plate and add a short stick or rolled paper as the stem. This paper plate fall craft looks absolutely fantastic hanging on a bulletin board or classroom wall.
12. Paper Plate Spider Web for Halloween
This one is brilliant for the Halloween season and also great for building fine motor skills. Paint the paper plate black. Once it is dry, poke small holes around the edge of the plate and in the centre. Then help your child weave white yarn through the holes to make a spider web pattern. Finally, add a small plastic spider or a paper spider made from black construction paper. Among all the Halloween paper plate fall crafts, this one gets the most impressed reactions from parents at school pickup.
13. Paper Plate Witch Hat Craft
Cut the paper plate in half and roll it into a cone shape, then secure it with tape to form the witch hat. Paint the whole thing black and let it dry. Add a purple or orange ribbon around the base of the cone for a buckle effect. You can also glue on orange or purple star shapes for extra flair. This is one of those quick paper plate fall crafts that takes less than 20 minutes and keeps kids busy and happy.
14. Paper Plate Hedgehog Craft
This one is adorable and a little unexpected for fall, but hedgehogs are very much an autumn animal. Paint the plate brown. Then cut lots of thin strips of brown and black paper and fold them slightly. Glue those folded strips all over the top half of the plate in rows to create the hedgehog’s spines. Add a small black pom pom or circle for the nose and two googly eyes.
Also, you can pair this with fall nature walks and check out these easy fall sensory bins to keep the autumn theme going all week.
15. Paper Plate Ghost Craft
This is one of the simplest paper plate fall crafts on the whole list. Paint the plate white. Then cut the bottom edge into a wavy pattern to look like the bottom of a ghost. Add two black circle eyes using construction paper or a marker. If you want to make it spookier, you can add a big round open mouth too. Hang it from the ceiling with a piece of string and watch it float around in the breeze. Simple, effective, and kids can make several in one sitting.
16. Paper Plate Candy Corn Craft
Cut the paper plate into a large triangle shape first. Then divide it into three sections and paint each section a different colour: yellow at the bottom, orange in the middle, and white at the top. That is it! This is one of those paper plate fall crafts that works well as a group activity too. You can make a whole bowl of paper plate candy corns and use them as classroom decorations.
Additionally, if your kids love colour-mixing with paint, try these playdough ideas for toddlers for more colour play fun.
17. Paper Plate Jack-o-Lantern
No list of paper plate fall crafts would be complete without a jack-o-lantern. Paint the plate orange and let it dry fully. Then either cut out triangle eyes, a nose, and a jagged mouth from black paper and glue them on, or simply draw them with a black marker. You can also cut out the features entirely for a 3D effect, then tape orange tissue paper behind each hole so light shines through when you hold it up. Kids of all ages love this one, and it looks amazing on a window.
18. Paper Plate Tissue Paper Fall Tree
This craft is great for toddlers because it involves tearing and scrunching, which is fantastic for little fingers. Draw a simple tree trunk and branches on the paper plate with brown paint or a marker. Then give your child small pieces of red, orange, and yellow tissue paper to scrunch up and glue all over the branches. The result looks like a beautifully colourful fall tree.
Furthermore, this pairs well with simple craft ideas with paper if you want to extend the activity. For more paper craft fun, also see these 30 easy paper craft ideas for kids.
19. Paper Plate Bat Craft for Halloween
This is one of the coolest paper plate fall crafts for Halloween. Paint the full plate black. While it dries, cut two large bat wing shapes from black construction paper. Once the plate is dry, glue the wings to the back of the plate so they fan out on both sides. Add two white or yellow googly eyes on the front. Hang your bat upside down from the ceiling for maximum spooky effect! This craft is also wonderful for building cutting skills, especially if your toddler is just starting to learn.
Check out these 30 fine motor activities for toddlers for more cutting and skill-building fun.
20. Paper Plate Mushroom Craft
Fall and mushrooms go hand in hand, and this is a surprisingly fun paper plate fall craft for kids. Paint the plate red with a few white circle dots on top to look like a classic toadstool cap. Then roll a piece of white cardstock or another paper plate section into a cylinder and paint it white for the stem. Glue the cap on top of the stem. You can also add a little paper door and windows to the stem to make it look like a fairy house. Toddlers absolutely love the fantasy element of this one.
📌 Related Reads:
- 20 Easy Fall Crafts to Make and Sell
- Easy DIY Crafts: 25 Easy Activities for Kids
- 35 Easy Popsicle Stick Crafts for Kids
- 30 indoor activities for toddlers
Finally,
There you have it! 20 truly fun and simple paper plate fall crafts that you and your kids can enjoy together this autumn season. The best part about all of these crafts is that you do not need to spend much money at all.
So go ahead and get those paper plates out!
If you tried any of these paper plate fall crafts, I would love to see what you made. Come share your creations with me over on Pinterest. I pin new craft ideas and activity inspiration there all the time, so make sure to follow along!
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