by Pamela Kay

Created on: August 12, 2008   Last Updated: September 26, 2008

Whether, it's for Sunday school, kindergarten or just your kids on a rainy day, these easy paper plate craft projects, made from items you probably already have, are perfect. Kids love them and will be entertained for hours. Most of them are easy to store, so you can share them with your child when they are grown.

1-USEFUL PAPER PLATE CRAFTS

*Bird Market*

Using a heavy paper plate, make quarter-inch cuts every half-inch around the outside edge of the plate. Gently place pieces of yarn, string or a few strands of your hair in each cut, so most of it is on the front side of the plate. The birds will pull these out and use them in their nest building.

In the middle of the plate place a quarter cup of peanut butter and spread it out evenly, to within two inches of the plate edge. Sprinkle bird-seeds on the peanut butter and gently press them into the peanut butter. Using a few short nails, attach the bird market to a tree trunk about seven to eight feet from ground level.

*Wall Sconce*

Cut one paper plate in half and turning over, attach to another plate, face to face, forming a pocket. Glue either elbow or shell pasta around the edges. Paint the plates and add beads and gems to embellish further. Add silk, dried or plastic flowers in the pocket and attach to a wall with a thumbtack.

*Paper Plate Clock*

Cut the numbers one through twelve from magazines. With a pencil, divide the plate into twelve equal pie shaped sections and color each one a different color, starting with the lightest colors and ending with darker colors. Glue the numbers in the correct space near the edge of the plate.

Punch a hole in the center. Make a minute and an hour hand from card stock. Punch a hole in one end and cut to form a point at the other end. Put a brass fastener through the two hands and the paper plate and fold the flanges out.

2-PAPER PLATE MASKS

*Diva Mask*

Holding the plate to the child's face, mark nose, mouth and eye positions. Cut these out. Decorate the mask with crayons and add glitter eye shadow, blush and lipstick. Cut two strips about one inch by two inches, from black paper. Make eyelashes from these by cutting almost all the way through the paper. Roll the eyelashes around a skewer to curl them and glue them above the eyes. Draw a beauty mark below one eye.

Punch a small hole near the edge on each side of the mask. Attach elastic to each side and add dangling earrings in the same hole.

*Witchdoctor Mask*

Holding the plate to the child's face, mark nose, mouth and eye positions.

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