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Let’s make the cutest paper plate bird craft ever! This bird craft made from paper plates includes movable wings. Making colorful paper plate birds is an inexpensive and fun activity for kids of all ages. Let kids choose the patterned paper and the color of paint to truly make this paper plate bird craft their own. This paper plate bird craft is great for home or in the classroom.

Paper Plate Bird craft with Movable Wings - by Amanda Formaro - three paper plate birds in colors of purple, yellow and teal on a blue background with colorful moveable wings - Kids activities Blog — Let’s make this adorable paper plate bird craft!

Paper Plate Bird Craft for Kids

This clever paper plate bird craft is fun for kids to customize their own “flying bird”.

Younger kids: Pre-cut the elements of the craft and let them assemble and decorate.
Older kids: Can customize the entire craft to create the bird they desire.

Related: More paper plate crafts for kids

The one unusual craft supply we use in this craft are paper fasteners. Paper fasteners are inexpensive and you get a lot of them in a box! You can find them at dollar stores, discount department stores and office supply stores.

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Supplies Needed For Paper Plate Bird Craft

2 paper plates
Scrapbook paper
Craft paint
3 googly eyes
1 brown pipe cleaner
3 paper fasteners
Tools: scissors, paintbrush, glue stick, white craft glue

Instructions To Make Paper Plate Birds

Prep

You’ll want to protect your table with newspaper or a plastic table cloth. Have kids wear smocks and put water into heavy mugs for cleaning brushes as there’s less chance of them tipping over than a lightweight plastic cup.

How Many Paper Plates Do I Need Per Bird Craft?

Two paper plates will make 3 birds. If you only want to make one bird, that’s totally fine! You will just have scrap pieces of paper plate left over.

Step 1

Start with 2 paper plates.
Cut both paper plates in half.
Take one of the halves and cut it into six equal pieces.
Set the six small pieces aside.

Step 2

Paint the three paper plate halves and set them aside to dry.

Step 3

Place scrapbook paper on the table face down. Apply glue stick to two of the small plate pieces then turn them over and press them to the back side of the scrapbook paper. Repeat for the other small pieces and set aside to dry.

Step 4

When dry, trim off the excess scrapbook paper but cutting around the triangular shaped plate pieces. These are your wings. Set them aside.

Step 5

Now that the paper plate halves are dry, paint an orange beak onto one corner of each one. Glue on a googly eye.

Step 6

Use a craft knife or pair of scissors to poke a hole in the center of the paper plate bird body. Also poke a hole into each wing, about about 1.5-inches above the pointed end of the triangle wing.

Step 7

Insert the paper fastener through one of the wings (on the scrapbook paper side) then through the plate, and finally through the second wing. Secure the fastener at the back of the bird.

Finished Paper Plate Bird Craft

Paper Plate Birds with Movable Wings - by Amanda Formaro

Hang your birds on the wall or school bulletin board. This makes a really cute spring craft or to make during a bird learning unit.

You may also like: Make colorful paper plate tropical fish

Paper Plate Tropical Fish by Amanda Formaro - 4 tropical fish paper plate crafts shown against a white background

Paper Plate Birds with Movable Wings

Making crafts from paper plates, like these colorful paper plate birds, is inexpensive and fun for kids. A fun activity for the kids this afternoon!

Materials

2 paper plates
Scrapbook paper
Craft paint
3 googly eyes
1 brown pipe cleaner
3 paper fasteners

Tools

scissors
paintbrush
glue stick
white craft glue

Instructions

Cut both paper plates in half. Take one of the halves and cut it into six equal pieces. Set the six small pieces aside.
Paint the three paper plate halves and set them aside to dry.
Place scrapbook paper on the table face down. Apply glue stick to two of the small plate pieces then turn them over and press them to the back side of the scrapbook paper. Repeat for the other small pieces and set aside to dry.
When dry, trim off the excess scrapbook paper but cutting around the triangular shaped plate pieces. These are your wings. Set them aside.
Now that the paper plate halves are dry, paint an orange beak onto one corner of each one. Glue on a googly eye.
Use a craft knife or pair of scissors to poke a hole in the center of the paper plate bird body. Also poke a hole into each wing, about about 1.5-inches above the pointed end of the triangle wing.
Insert the paper fastener through one of the wings (on the scrapbook paper side) then through the plate, and finally through the second wing. Secure the fastener at the back of the bird.