Snake Paper Plate Craft

Scissors and Slithers

• What: Snake paper plate craft
• When: 3 years and up
• Why: Fun, creative, cute
• Where: At home

Want an easy craft project for your child that only uses common household supplies? Got any extra paper plates laying around? Maybe you’d like to bring some wildlife into your home without all the care and setup required, or you just want to keep your young child involved for a few minutes without screens. No matter the reason, this paper plate snake turns out great. 

All you need to make this simple serpent is a paper plate, paint, and scissors. If you want to get fancy, you can add a googly eye, or a button, or other decor for the eyes, or a popsicle stick for a tongue. Grab a place mat to protect the surface (or go outside if you’ve got good weather) and let your child loose with the paints. They should cover the entire bottom side of the paper plate with paint in their choice of color, or create a mix or pattern they love.

Once the paint dries, use scissors to cut in concentric circles, getting smaller as they go. Once you reach the middle, be careful not to cut across the lines (your snake will end up shorter as result). Attach or draw an eye on the center bit, and suspend from that point. The coils of the snake will hang down thanks to gravity. My son went for extra credit and added half a popsicle stick and some leftover sticky foam to make a tongue.

This project makes a fun afternoon activity, or make a den of snakes to decorate for a jungle party, fort, or room. Let your child’s imagination run wild with different ways to play and decorate with this easy snake paper plate craft.