Cute Paper Plate Dolphin Craft for Preschoolers

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Finding cute preschool activities for the classroom or fun summer art projects to make at home is easy when you have a few simple crafts for kids in your back pocket! And when it comes to awesome DIY ideas for summer break, it doesn’t get much better than this paper plate dolphin craft. Use paint and scissors to turn a plain plate into a cute sea creature with this easy, kid-friendly DIY!

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Wait until you see how quick and easy this paper plate dolphin craft is to put together! That means it’s a great summer break activity for kids of any age to make!

And since you only need a few simple craft supplies to put this DIY project together, you probably have everything you need at home right now! What better way to keep your kids entertained when you’re tired of hearing them say I’m bored?

Paper Plate Dolphin Craft

The best part about this adorable paper plate craft is that it’s so easy to make! Since it can be put together with just a few minutes of crafting time. it’s perfect for a lazy summer afternoon! And since it’s so simple, all your kids can get in on the fun, no matter their age.

You’re going to love the short list of supplies needed to put this easy art project together! And since it’s so easy to make, this beach craft is also easy to customize. Keep scrolling to the bottom of the post to get more ideas for making this project with your kids.

• Paper plates. You can use any size paper plate you want to make your own dolphins. We used small 6-inch plates because that’s what we had on hand, but full-sized plates would also work!
• Blue paint. I thought blue would be a fun color for our dolphins, but if you want to make yours look more life-like, you could also use grey paint for this craft.
• Googly eyes. I love these googly eye stickers when making crafts with preschoolers, but you can also use regular googly eyes that need to be glued on when making your own sea animals.
• Black marker. You could also use black paint to draw the face on your paper plate dolphins.
• Scissors and glue. To transform your paper plate into a dolphin, you’ll need to do some cutting and gluing. Any type of glue will work for this project, including regular white school glue or glue sticks.

How to Make a Paper Plate Dolphin

Now that you have all your supplies gathered up, it’s time to get crafty! Have some fun with your kids making your own fish craft at home this summer.

Before you can start putting your paper plate dolphin together, your kids will need to have some fun painting their paper plates. Make sure to cover your work area well, then let your kids paint their plates blue (or gray). You may need to add a second coat to fully cover the plate with paint.

After giving the paint on your paper plate plenty of time to dry, grab your scissors and start cutting to create the different pieces of your dolphin.

First, cut the plate in half and set one half aside. Cut the other half in half again and set one of those pieces aside. Finish by cutting the remaining piece in half one more time.

After that, grab your large half and trim the center of the plate to give it a little bit more of a curve to create the look of a dolphin’s body. While this part isn’t necessary, it does make the final product look more like a dolphin than leaving the bottom of the plate in a straight line.

Next, flip the body piece over so that the painted side is facing the table. Glue the large half on top of the dolphin to make its fin.

Then, glue the two smaller pieces to one end to create the dolphin’s tail. You’ll need to overlap the pointed ends of the wedges slightly to create the look of a dolphin tail.

After that, all that’s left to do is add the dolphin’s face! Start by attaching one googly eye to the end of the plate opposite the tale. Then, use a black marker to draw a smiling mouth.

Paper Plate Dolphin Craft Ideas

See how simple it is to make your own dolphin out of a paper plate? Your kids are going to have a blast making their own sea creatures with supplies you have at home!

And since this ocean themed craft is so simple to make, it’s also easy to customize! Try these craft ideas as you’re putting your own art project together to create some adorable dolphins with your kids this summer.

• Color the plate with markers or crayons. If you want to skip using messy paint, don’t worry! You can still make this cute craft. Instead of having your kids paint the plate, just tell them to color the paint with markers or crayons. Then, you don’t have to wait for the paint to dry to move on to the next step.
• Do the cutting yourself. This easy craft is perfect for kids of any age! You just have to adjust the instructions according to your child’s abilities. If you think cutting out the pieces would be too difficult for a younger child, take the time to cut out each element before your kids start making the craft. That way, all they have to do is paint and glue!

More Easy Craft Ideas:

Toilet Paper Roll Crab Craft

Pasta Fish Craft

Popsicle Stick Boat Craft

Seashell Fish Craft