Pirate week is always a hit at our house, and this pirate paper plate craft is the easiest way to make a crew. A painted plate becomes the face, and a red bandana and black hat sit on top with a curly mustache below.
Grab a few pirate books and read while the paint dries.
What You Need for This Paper Plate Pirate Craft
Pirate Paper Plate Craft (visual directions + template)
Get the printablePaper plate
View on AmazonBrown and white paint
View on AmazonPaintbrush
View on AmazonRed and black construction paper
View on AmazonCardboard or a cereal box
View on AmazonBlack marker
View on AmazonGlue
View on AmazonKid scissors
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.
💡 No cardboard?
Any thick paper works for the eyes. A cut-up cereal box is perfect.
How to Make a Paper Plate Pirate
Paint the face
Mix brown and white paint for a skin tone and paint the plate. Let it dry completely.
Cut out the hat pieces
Print the template, cut out the hat and bandana pieces, and trace them onto black and red paper.
Build the hat
Glue the red bandana and black hat pieces together, using the template as a guide.
Glue on the hat
Glue the hat across the top of the plate.
Make the eyes
Cut two small circles from cardboard. Add pupils with a marker and a dot of white paint.
Add the eyes and mustache
Glue the eyes in place, then cut a curly mustache from black paper and glue it below them.
Draw the smile
Finish with a big pirate grin under the mustache. Arrr!
Ways to Use It
- Make an eye patch version with a black paper patch
- Use it as a pirate mask with a craft stick handle
- Hang a whole crew on the classroom door
- Pair with a treasure hunt
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Paper Plate Pirate 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 pirate, plus a template you can trace.
🎟️ Blog reader deal
Use code PIRATEPLATE 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 Pirate Craft FAQ
Cut a black oval from construction paper, glue it over one eye, and draw a thin strap across the plate with a black marker.
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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