Paper Plate Seashell Craft for Kids (Easy Beach & Ocean Craft)
Have extra paper plates lying around? Turn them into something beautiful with this colorful Paper Plate Seashell Craft for Kids! This easy beach and ocean-themed craft is perfect for summer, preschool ocean units, or a simple afternoon activity. Made with basic supplies and minimal prep, it’s a fun, affordable way for kids to explore colors and celebrate ocean life. Learning about the ocean has never been so creative—or so much fun!
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Why We Love this Paper Plate Craft
- Minimal supplies! You will likely have these supplies, like paper plates, lying around your house already. And if you love paper plate crafts, be sure to also check out our Paper Plate Watermelon, Paper Plate Pizza and Paper Plate Sunflower crafts.
- Perfect for Summer – A fun beach and ocean-themed craft that fits perfectly with summer break or ocean learning units.
- Great for All Ages – Preschoolers, kindergarteners, and older kids can all customize their seashell with colors and patterns
- Fine motor skills. Our paper plate seashell craft allows kids to put developing cutting, folding, painting, and gluing skills to good use.
✂️ Supplies
Notes on Supplies:
Paper plate– white is ideal
Scissors– we love these kid-friendly scissors
Paint– For extra sparkle, we loved using Crayola’s Washable Glitter Paint
Brushes– We find these foam paint brushes to work really well with little hands
📝 Instructions
Step 1: Fold a paper plate in half. *Using scissors, narrow the edges of the folded plate to form the shape of a shell. Grownups can also draw an outline and ask kids to cut along the lines.
Step 2: Paint the shells. Kids can dab different colors of paint onto their shells or color the shell all one color. Encourage kids to leave the edge of the shell unpainted for the eyes. Allow the paint to dry for a few minutes.
Step 3: Draw several blue eyeballs on the outer edges of the shell.
Step 4: Glue a cotton ball to the bottom, inside of the shell. This will represent the shell’s flesh (like a sea scallop!). Now display your paper plate seashell craft!
Note: *For toddlers especially, these tasks may require adult supervision and/or assistance.
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🐚 Paper Plate Seashell Craft for Kids (Easy Beach & Ocean Craft)
Equipment
Supplies
- Paper plate (white is ideal)
- Washable paint
- Blue markers
- Cotton ball(s)
- Glue
Instructions
- Fold a paper plate in half. Using scissors, narrow the edges of the folded plate to form the shape of a shell. Grownups can also draw an outline and ask kids to cut along the lines.
- Paint the shells. Kids can dab different colors of paint onto their shells or color the shell all one color. Encourage kids to leave the edge of the shell unpainted for the eyes. Allow the paint to dry for a few minutes.
- Draw several blue eyeballs on the outer edges of the shell.
- Glue a cotton ball to the bottom, inside of the shell. This will represent the inner flesh (like the inside of a scallop shell). Now display your paper plate seashell craft!
