This paper plate duck craft is low mess, super cute, and a sneaky bit of fine motor practice. Half a plate painted yellow becomes the body, and orange feet and a beak finish it off.
It’s one of those easy crafts I keep in my back pocket for spring, farm week, or any afternoon when someone asks what we can do today.
What You Need for This Paper Plate Duck Craft
Duck Paper Plate Craft (visual directions + template)
Get the printablePaper plate
View on AmazonYellow paint
View on AmazonPaintbrush
View on AmazonOrange and yellow construction paper
View on AmazonKid scissors
View on AmazonGlue stick
View on AmazonGoogly eyes
View on AmazonBlack marker
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💡 Before you start
Lay down newspaper or an old towel, pour the paint into a cup, and keep a damp rag nearby. Print an extra template in case someone wants a purple duck.
How to Make a Paper Plate Duck
Cut the plate in half
Cut the paper plate in half to make the duck’s round body. A grown-up can smooth out the edges.
Paint it yellow
Paint the half plate yellow and let it dry. Streaky or smooth, it all works.
Cut out the feet, head and beak
Trace the feet and beak onto orange paper and the head onto yellow paper, then cut them out.
Glue on the feet
Glue the feet to the back of the plate so they stick out at the bottom.
Add the head and beak
Glue the head to the top of the plate and the beak to the head.
Draw the wing
Use a black marker to draw a zigzag wing on the body.
Add the eye
Glue on a googly eye, and your duck is ready to waddle.
Ways to Use It
- Hang a row of ducks for a spring display
- Act out Five Little Ducks with a whole flock
- Add a name and use it as a farm week cubby tag
- Pair it with a favorite duck picture book
More paper plate crafts
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Paper Plate Duck 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 duck, plus a template you can trace.
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 Duck Craft FAQ
Yellow tissue paper squares, crayons or torn yellow construction paper all work and are a little less messy.
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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