This paper plate airplane craft folds a blue plate into the body of a plane, with little yellow windows down the side. Kids love flying them around the room when they’re done.
It’s a fun one for transportation week, and an easy craft for an afternoon at home.
What You Need for This Paper Plate Airplane Craft
Airplane Paper Plate Craft (visual directions + template)
Get the printablePaper plates
View on AmazonBlue paint
View on AmazonPaintbrush
View on AmazonYellow construction paper
View on AmazonKid scissors
View on AmazonGlue or tape
View on AmazonCraft sticks
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How to Make a Paper Plate Airplane
Paint the plate
Paint the paper plate blue and let it dry completely so it doesn’t tear when you cut it.
Cut the plane shape
Fold the plate in half and cut out the airplane shape. Folding first keeps both sides even.
Cut the windows
Cut small rectangles from yellow paper for the windows.
Glue on the windows
Glue the windows in a row along the side of the plane.
Add wings and a tail
Glue craft sticks on for wings and a tail, and decorate with markers or stickers.
Ways to Use It
- Fly it around the room to practice directions: up, down, left, right
- Add a name to the side of the plane
- Make a whole airport for a transportation unit
- Hang it from the ceiling so it looks like it’s flying
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Paper Plate Airplane 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 airplane, plus a template you can trace.
🎟️ Blog reader deal
Use code AIRPLANEPLATE 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 Airplane Craft FAQ
Folding the plate in half means both sides of the plane come out the same shape.
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
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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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