Paper Plate Lion Craft for Kids
Have you ever looked at a simple paper plate and wondered what you could turn it into?
With a little paint, some colorful paper strips, and a few simple details, an ordinary paper plate can be transformed into a bright and cheerful paper plate lion!
This paper plate lion craft for kids is a fun and easy way for children to explore their creativity while making one of their favorite wild animals.
With a bright yellow face, a colorful paper mane, and a cute little expression, this easy lion craft comes together using just a few basic craft supplies.
Kids will enjoy painting, cutting, gluing, and putting all the little pieces together to create their own friendly lion. You can even make a whole family of lions by giving each one a different expression!
Let’s start!
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What you’ll need:
- A paper plate
- Yellow paint
- A paintbrush
- Yellow and orange construction papers
- White paper
- Googly eyes
- Scissors
- A glue stick
- A black pen or marker
How to make the Paper Plate Lion Craft (Step-by-step tutorial)
Step 1: Paint the paper plate
Start by taking a plain paper plate and painting the entire front of it with bright yellow paint.
Use your paintbrush to spread the paint evenly across the plate, making sure to cover the edges as well.
Once you are happy with the coverage, leave the plate aside and let the paint dry completely before moving on to the next step.
Step 2: Prepare the lion’s mane
While the paint is drying, it’s time to make the lion’s colorful mane.
Take your orange and yellow construction papers and cut them into long, narrow strips.
Try to keep the strips roughly the same width (For instance, 1 cm) so the finished mane looks nice and full.
You’ll need quite a few strips, as they will go all around the outside of the paper plate.
Step 3: Arrange and glue the mane
Now it’s time to give the lion its colorful mane!
Start arranging the orange and yellow paper strips around the edge of the painted paper plate, alternating the colors as you go.
Apply a little glue to the end of each strip and stick it directly onto the edge of the plate.
Continue working your way around the plate, placing the strips close together so the mane looks full and fluffy.
Once you’re done, gently press the glued ends down and leave the mane aside for a few minutes to dry.
Step 5: Prepare the face pieces
While the mane is drying, prepare the little pieces that will make up the lion’s face.
Draw and cut two small ear shapes from the yellow paper. Then cut the smaller pieces needed for the lion’s muzzle.
You can also prepare the little mouth details from black paper or simply draw them later using a black marker.
Step 6: Add the ears and face
Now it’s time to bring your lion to life!
Glue the two ears onto the top of the paper plate, one on each side. Then glue the googly eyes onto the face. Add the yellow muzzle piece in the center.
Make sure all the pieces are positioned nicely and leave them to dry before adding the final details.
Step 7: Draw the face with a black marker
Once the glued pieces have dried, take a black marker and add the finishing touches to your lion’s face.
Draw a small mouth and add a few whisker lines on either side. You can also add any other little details you like to give your lion a cute expression like the tiny eyebrows.
And your adorable paper plate lion craft is now complete!
We hope you and your little ones enjoy making this cheerful lion craft for kids.
Happy crafting!
More paper plate crafts for kids:
- Paper Plate Crescent Moon & Star (Ramadan Craft)
- Paper Plate Penguin Craft (Easy Winter Craft for Kids)
- Back to school paper plate bus craft idea
- Paper plate monster craft for kids
- Paper plate cow craft for Preschoolers and kindergarteners
- Paper plate giraffe craft for kids (with free giraffe template)
