You know those days when your kid wants something spooky, but you’re not quite ready to commit to full-on slime chaos? Same. That’s exactly how this zombie paper plate craft was born. Equal parts creepy and cute, with zero sticky fingers required (well, unless paint counts).
This goofy little zombie might look like it crawled straight out of a Halloween party, but don’t worry, he’s way more adorable than terrifying. Grab a few supplies from your art stash and get ready for a fun afternoon of cutting, painting, and giggling over your zombie’s silly face.
By the time you’re done, you’ll have a green, brainy masterpiece that’s perfect for decorating the fridge or adding a little monster magic to your classroom wall.
We can’t get enough of Halloween paper plate crafts…and honestly, this one might be the silliest yet.
Supplies for Your Paper Plate Zombie Craft
Before your little monster-maker gets started, grab a few basic craft supplies. Most of these are probably already hiding in your art drawer (you know, next to the 47 glue sticks that may or may not still have caps).
Zombie Paper Plate Craft (visual directions + template)
Get the printablePaper plate
View on AmazonGreen acrylic paint
View on AmazonRed, green, white, and black construction paper
View on AmazonPreschool scissors
View on AmazonGlue stick
View on AmazonBlack marker
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.
Now that your zombie lab is fully stocked, let’s dive into the fun part – bringing this goofy green ghoul to life!
How to Make a Zombie Paper Plate Craft
Alright, time to bring this little green guy to life! Don’t worry, no lightning bolts or mad scientist vibes required, just a little paint and imagination.
Gather your supplies
Round up your paper plate, paint, scissors, glue, and all your zombie-making goodies. It’s craft time! Grab an apron if your kiddo thinks “painting” means everything gets painted.
Cut the paper plate
Snip off the top fourth of the paper plate to make a straight edge for your zombie’s head. Don’t stress about perfect lines…wobbly cuts just add personality (and maybe a little extra “undead” charm).
Paint it green
Give that zombie face a good coat of green paint. The brighter and slimier, the better! Set it aside to dry while you prep the next step, and maybe grab a snack (like our monsters on a log), because waiting for paint to dry is hard work.
Cut out the brain
Use red construction paper to cut a bumpy half-circle shape. This will be your zombie’s brain, so let those edges wiggle! Perfection is overrated – the grosser it looks, the better the laughs.
Glue on the brain
Glue the red brain behind the flat edge of the paper plate so it peeks out just enough. Voilà! Instant zombie makeover!
Cut out the face pieces
Grab your construction paper and either use the zombie template or freehand your own eyes, mouth, and other facial bits. Big or small, round or squiggly…this is the fun part! There’s no wrong way to make a zombie face (the messier, the better).
Glue the face pieces together
Start by gluing the white part of the eyes onto the green circles and the red tongue inside the black mouth. It’s starting to look like a real character now, goofy grin and all!
Glue the face together
Glue all those face pieces right onto your zombie’s green plate. Suddenly, it’s starting to look way too cute to be scary.
Add the finishing touches
Once everything’s dry, grab your black marker and add some details…stitches, scars, maybe a single eyebrow if you’re going for that true zombie fashion statement.
Put your zombie on display
Hang it on the fridge, classroom wall, or create a whole zombie crew. Instant Halloween decor!
More Halloween Activities for Kids
If your little monsters loved this zombie craft, wait until they get their hands on a few more spooky favorites! Mix a couple of these together and your house might just turn into the ultimate Halloween headquarters:
- Witches Brew Science Experiment – a bubbly, fizzy potion activity that’s basically chaos in a cup (the good kind).
- Build a Pumpkin Play Dough Tray – all the pumpkin fun without the slimy mess. Bonus points if your kiddo insists on adding “pumpkin brains.”
- Spider Web Weaving Sensory Bin – perfect for fine motor play and surprisingly calming for something filled with spiders.
- Vampire Paper Plate Craft – sweet, simple, and just spooky enough to earn a fridge spot.
- Frankenstein Mask Paper Plate Craft – this one pairs perfectly with your zombie for a monster mash display.
Mix a few of these together, and you’ll have a Halloween setup so fun it might just spook your to-do list right off the table.
Grab the Printable Zombie Craft Template
Want to make this craft even easier for your classroom or home setup? I’ve got you covered. The Zombie Paper Plate Craft Printable includes step-by-step visual instructions (perfect for independent crafting) and a zombie face template so kids can cut and create without needing to draw.
Just print, prep, and let the spooky fun begin – your little zombies will love following along!
More paper plate crafts
See all →
Paper Plate Zombie 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 zombie 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 Zombie 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.
More Crafts with Visual Directions
See all →
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.
No stories yet. Be the first family to share how it went!
