This acorn paper plate craft is a simple fall activity with a fun texture twist: pipe cleaners glued in a criss-cross pattern make the bumpy acorn cap.
We made ours after reading Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Mélanie Watt, a sweet book about the nerves that come with making new friends. Kids love the nutty hero.
What You Need for This Paper Plate Acorn Craft
Acorn Paper Plate Craft (visual directions + template)
Get the printablePaper plate
View on AmazonBrown and yellow paint
View on AmazonPaintbrush
View on AmazonBrown pipe cleaners
View on AmazonBlack marker
View on AmazonKid scissors
View on AmazonGlue stick and liquid school glue
View on AmazonSome links above are affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How to Make a Paper Plate Acorn
Draw the acorn
Draw the acorn cap along the wavy outer edge of the plate, then draw the acorn bottom on the flat center.
Paint the pieces
Paint the cap brown. Mix a little yellow into brown and paint the bottom tan. Let both dry.
Cut and join
Cut out both pieces and glue the cap onto the top of the acorn bottom.
Add the stem
Twist a 3-inch piece of pipe cleaner and glue it to the back of the cap so it sticks up.
Make the cap texture
Draw a criss-cross pattern on the cap, then glue pipe cleaners along the lines, one direction first and then the other. Liquid school glue holds them best.
Let it dry
Let everything dry completely, then hang your acorn up.
Ways to Use It
- Read Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend and talk about making new friends
- Make a whole acorn garland for fall
- Pair with a nature walk to collect real acorns
- Hang them on a fall bulletin board
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Paper Plate Acorn Craft for Preschool, Pre-K and Kindergarten
Preschool
Paint, glue and decorate. You handle the tricky cutting, and kids point to each picture step as they go.
Pre-K
Trace the template and cut the straight lines. Follow the visual steps in order.
Kindergarten and up
Cut out every piece, add their own details, and retell the steps in order.
Get the Printable Visual Directions
Doing this with a group? The printable has picture steps for every part of the acorn, plus a template you can trace.
🎟️ Blog reader deal
Use code ACORNPLATE at checkout to get this craft free.
What’s included
- A picture supply list
- Visual step-by-step directions
- Photo step cards
- A printable template
- Instant PDF download, nothing is shipped
Perfect for
- Preschool and kindergarten classrooms
- Special education and speech therapy
- Following directions practice
- Thematic units
- Homeschool art time
Paper Plate Acorn Craft FAQ
Liquid school glue works for most kids. Let it dry flat. A grown-up can use a low-temp hot glue gun for a faster hold.
Ages 3 to 6. Preschoolers paint and glue with a little help, and kindergartners can trace and cut the pieces themselves.
Yes. Crayons, markers or torn construction paper work too and are less messy.
You can freehand the pieces, but the template and picture steps help kids work on their own and make it easy to do with a class.
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From families like yours
Did you try it? Tell us how it went!
We love seeing these activities out in the wild: the lumpy letters, the snack breaks, the proud “I made a B!” moments. Leave a star rating, tell other parents what worked (and what totally didn’t), and add a photo of your setup if you’d like.
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