Fun + Easy Jellyfish Paper Plate Craft For Kids [Free Template]

While you probably don’t want to meet a jellyfish while swimming in the ocean, they really are some pretty amazing creatures!

When we think of summer, we think of the beach and jellyfish. Our fun jellyfish paper plate craft is a great activity to do with the kids this summer.

This adorable paper plate jellyfish craft is another one of our fun jellyfish activities! They’re ideal for making with preschoolers, kindergarten, and elementary children.

Be sure to download the free printable template and watch our quick video tutorial to see how to make this cute craft!

Jellyfish Craft

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Supplies

• Paper plate
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Colored cardstock or construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Jellyfish template (click the “click here to get this freebie” image at the end to open the form)

Directions

Start by downloading the jellyfish template and printing it out. Once you have the template printed, gather the materials needed for this fun activity. Get those scissors ready, and let’s help the kids bring this craft to life!

First, encourage your child to paint a small section on the bottom of the paper plate in a lighter shade of the main jellyfish color. Paint the rest of the paper plate in a darker shade.

Next, trace the two jellyfish body parts on the upper and lower part of the paper plate, then carefully cut them out. Now, flip the two body pieces over and slightly overlap the lower body part onto the bottom of the main body part. Use tape or glue to secure the two pieces together,

Help your child to flip the jellyfish back over and glue the eyes in the middle of the main body piece.

Now, guide your child to attach the cheeks on the outside of each eye. Use a black marker to draw a friendly smile just below the eyes,

Finally, flip the jellyfish over to the back, then arrange the tentacles in the way you want. Once you’re happy with their placement, use tape to secure them to the back.

Be sure to check out our ocean crafts for kids while you’re here! Your kids will love creating more fun DIYs like this one!

Ocean Theme For Preschool

Make a whole ocean unit study with these fun ideas! We’ve got everything from book suggestions to fun crafts and activities.

Pick as many ideas as you like and dive into a world of underwater exploration with your kids! Keep reading for some fun ideas to get you started.

Coloring Books Ocean Animals

$11.99

Buy on Amazon

Sea Animals Stickers for Kids

$5.99

Buy on Amazon

Ocean Animals Toys

$26.79

Buy on Amazon

Kids Books About Ocean Animals

The Snail and the Whale– Julia Donaldson, author of the famous book The Gruffalo, brings kids another fun book about an unlikely set of friends. Snail and Whale have lots of fun together in this colorful book!

Shark Lady– This children’s book is based upon the true story of Eugenie Clark, aka, The Shark Lady. Learn about her love of sharks, her discoveries, and the inspiring message of going after what you want in life.

The Rainbow Fish -This is a classic children’s book with a wonderful message for children. In it, a fish learns to share his favorite possession, his glittery scales, with his friends!

Printable Ocean Crafts

For more ocean crafts, check out some of our favorite ones below:

Paper Plate Fish Craft– If you’re looking for more easy paper plate crafts, this little fishy is perfect for young kids! You only need a paper plate, paint, and our free template to create this fun and colorful sea creature. It’s such a fun way to explore various colors while creating something ocean-themed!

Mermaid Paper Craft – This easy craft is perfect for any mermaid lover! You and your child can create an adorable mermaid to display or play with using a few simple materials. Your little ones will have so much fun cutting and gluing the pieces together to make this cute craft!

Shark Headband Craft – Combine crafting and dress up with this fun shark headband craft. With our simple tutorial, your little one can create a snappy headband that’ll transform them into a fearsome shark! This craft is also a great way to teach your kids about these special ocean animals.

Paper Cup Octopus Craft –  Swim on over to this easy ocean themed octopus craft! It’s the perfect way for young children to improve their fine motor skills and develop hand-eye coordination. Just follow our step-by-step instructions and let your child’s imagination run wild as they create this adorable octopus!

Ocean Animal Printables

Did you know coloring is a great way for kids to learn and develop fine motor skills? These shark coloring pages for kids are a fun addition to any classroom or at-home learning activity. Let your students explore the ocean through creative expression with these printable coloring pages!

These whale worksheets are a great activity for both younger and older kids! As they complete each fun page, they’ll practice tracing, handwriting, letter recognition, and more. Who knew learning could be so much fun? Download these free worksheets and add them to your ocean-themed lesson plans today!

Our ocean Sudoku for kids is perfect for developing critical thinking skills. Your kids must use logic and problem-solving to complete the cute ocean-themed puzzles! We’ve also included instructions on creating a reusable Sudoku binder for endless fun.

Have your kiddos practice using scissors with these ocean animal cut outs. They’ll love all the adorable sea creatures! Once cut out, they can use them to make an ocean scene or create a matching game by printing multiples of each page. It’s as simple as print, color, and cut!

Share With Us

Did you make this activity with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!

For a chance to have your child’s project featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!

Jellyfish Paper Plate Craft For Kids

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Active Time: 15 minutes minutes

Drying Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

This paper plate jellyfish is a fun ocean craft that kids will want to make this summer!

Print Pin Rate

Author: Sam T

Video

Materials

• Paper plate
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Colored cardstock or construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Jellyfish template

Instructions

• Download the jellyfish template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.
• Paint a small section on the bottom of the paper plate in a lighter shade of the main jellyfish color. Paint the rest of the paper plate in a darker shade. Let it dry completely before moving on.
• Trace the two jellyfish body parts on the upper and lower part of the paper plate and then cut them out. Flip the two pieces over and slightly overlap the lower body part onto the bottom of the main body part. Use tape or glue to secure the two pieces together.
• Flip the jellyfish back over and glue the eyes in the middle of the main body piece.
• Next, glue the cheeks on the outside of each eye. Use the black marker to draw a smile on the jellyfish just below the eyes.
• Flip the jellyfish over to the back, then arrange the tentacles in the way you want. Once you get them in place, use tape to secure them to the back.

Free Jellyfish Template

Sam

Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump and more. Read more.