There’s just something about a skull craft that screams Halloween… without actually screaming.
This skull paper plate craft is one of those gloriously easy projects that looks like you spent way more time on it than you actually did. It’s bold, it’s a little creepy (in the fun way), and it’s perfect for classroom doors, party decor, or a quick after-school craft when your kid announces they “need something spooky to do” right now.
And because I like to keep things simple (aka chaos contained), there’s a printable packet with ready-to-trace templates and step-by-step visual instructions. No fancy art skills required – just scissors, glue, and a little Halloween magic.
Let’s make some skulls.
Supplies for Your Paper Plate Skull Craft
This is one of those crafts that keeps it nice and simple. No endless supply list, no “I swear I had googly eyes somewhere” panic. Just a few basic materials and you’re good to go.
Skull Paper Plate Craft (visual directions + template)
Get the printablePaper Plate
View on AmazonBlack Construction Paper
View on AmazonPreschool Scissors
View on AmazonGlue Stick
View on AmazonPencil
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How to Make a Skull Paper Plate Craft
Alright, let’s bring this little skull to life. You’ve got your plate, your glue stick, and hopefully no glitter in sight (unless you’re braver than me).
If your kiddo is still riding the spooky season hype train, this one pairs perfectly with the Q-Tip Skeleton Craft or the Zombie Paper Plate Craft for a full haunted hallway moment.
Gather your supplies
Here’s the easy part…grab your paper plate, black construction paper, preschool scissors, and trusty glue stick. Nothing fancy. If you’ve got our printable skull template handy, you’ll be even more ahead of the game.
Draw out the teeth
Flip your plate over and sketch a line across the bottom to create the skull and simple row of teeth below the line. Nothing needs to be perfect here, in fact, slightly wonky teeth make it way more fun. (Think less “perfect dentist” and more “Halloween skeleton who likes candy corn.”)
Cut along the lines
Time to snip! Use those preschool scissors to carefully cut along the lines. This part is great fine motor practice for little hands, and it doesn’t matter if it looks uneven. Spooky skulls are supposed to be a little wild.
Glue the teeth to the skull
Line up those little paper plate rectangles you cut earlier and glue them along the bottom edge of the skull. This is where your spooky face really starts to take shape. Don’t stress about perfect spacing, a slightly crooked grin just makes your Halloween skull look extra mischievous.
Cut out the face shapes
Next up: spooky face time. Grab your black construction paper and cut out two big circles for the eyes and one upside-down heart for the nose. You can freehand it or use the template from the printable packet to make prep a breeze.
Glue the face in place
Add your black shapes to the skull. It’s wild how fast it goes from “random paper plate” to “cute Halloween skeleton” at this step. Pro tip: let your kid decide on the eye placement – tilted eyes make it extra goofy.
Show off your spooky skull
And just like that, your skull is ready to join the Halloween fun. Hang it up on the wall, stick it on a bulletin board, or let it keep watch over the candy bowl.
Want to keep the creepy-cute vibes going? Pair it with a Build a Skeleton Playdough Tray or some Pumpkin Guts Slime for a full spooky afternoon.
More Halloween Activities to Try
Once you’ve got your skull grinning back at you, don’t stop the spooky fun there. Halloween crafts have a way of taking over the kitchen table (and honestly, I’m not mad about it).
If you’re building out a full display or need a few more low-prep ideas for the week, these Halloween paper plate crafts and activities pair perfectly with your new bony friend:
- Eyeball Paper Plate Craft — because every skull needs a good stare-down buddy.
- Black Cat Paper Plate Craft — the purrfect match for a spooky night.
- Halloween Build-a-Face Playdough Mats — a little squishy, a lot creative, and perfect for mixing spooky fun with fine motor play.
- Witch’s Brew Science Experiment — fizzing, bubbling, and guaranteed giggles.
- Eyeball Slime — when you need a calm, squishy activity after all the cutting and gluing.
- Skeleton Books for Kids – Silly, clattery fun that turns spooky bones into pure giggles.
Mix and match these for themed classroom centers, party activities, or a week of Halloween chaos that actually looks intentional.
Grab the Skull Craft Printable
Want to skip the freehand cutting (and save your sanity)? The printable packet for this Skull Paper Plate Craft has everything you need to make setup a breeze.
Inside you’ll find ready-to-trace templates for the skull shape, teeth, eyes, and nose, plus step-by-step visual directions that make this craft easy for little learners to follow independently. Perfect for classroom centers, small groups, or a “hey-let’s-do-a-craft” afternoon at home.
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Paper Plate Skull Craft for Preschool, Pre-K and Kindergarten
Preschool
Paint, glue and decorate. Grown-ups handle the tricky cutting, and kids talk through each step with the picture directions.
Pre-K
Trace the template and cut the straight lines. Follow the visual steps in order and point to each picture as you go.
Kindergarten and up
Cut out every piece, add their own details, and retell or write the steps in order on the writing pages.
Get the Printable Visual Directions
Want to make this at home or with a whole class? The printable visual directions walk kids through every step of the skull craft with pictures, plus a ready-to-trace template.
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 Skull Craft FAQ
A paper plate, paint, a paintbrush, scissors, glue and construction paper. The printable template makes cutting out the pieces much easier.
It’s perfect for ages 3 to 6. Preschoolers paint and glue with a little help, and kindergartners can trace and cut the pieces themselves.
About 30 minutes, plus time for the paint to dry. Paint the plate first and do the cutting while it dries.
Yes. Crayons, markers, tissue paper squares or torn construction paper all work and are a little less messy.
You can freehand the pieces, but the template and picture directions help little ones work more independently and make it easy to do with a whole 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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