Summertime is a fun time of year because the kids are off from school. But, it can also mean that they become bored easily.
Kick boredom to the curb and have some summer creating sessions instead!
This paper plate fish craft is colorful, easy to make, and best of all fun. It’s a simple ocean craft for kids that can help them work on fine motor skills, cutting, following directions, and more!
Watch our quick video tutorial to see just how simple it is to make and then be sure to download the free template.
This sea creature DIY is ideal for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary aged children!
Simple Fish Craft
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Supplies
- Paper plate
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
- Fish template (click the “click here to get this freebie” image at the end to open the form)
Directions
Start by downloading the 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 fish to life!
First, encourage your child to paint a paper plate with 1-2 thin coats of bright paint. Let it dry completely before moving on.
Next, guide your child to place the fish body template on the paper plate, trace it, and cut it out.
Now, position the stripes in the middle of the body, glue them on, then cut off the excess paper.
Glue the eye just to the left of the fish’s nose. Use a black marker to draw a small smile below the eye.
Take the top fin and glue it towards the back of the fish, just above the tail fin.
Next, take the bottom fin and glue it to the bottom side of the fish.
Finally, glue the side fin to the bottom of the fish, in between the bottom fin and the mouth.
This activity is a fun summer craft kids will enjoy creating!
Fun Fish Paper Bag Puppet For Pretend Play!
Ocean Theme Ideas
Create an entire under the sea themed learning unit with our activities and worksheets! We have tons of fun and engaging ideas to help children learn more about the deep blue. Choose one or more of our favorite activities below, and get ready for an adventure!
Best Fish Books For Preschoolers
Books About The Ocean For Preschoolers
Reading is one of the best ways to introduce kids to a world of imagination, knowledge, and learning. Choose books with an sea theme to help them explore and understand the underwater world! Here are some of our favorite books that are perfect for kids who love the ocean:
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!
Ocean Crafts For Kids
Want some more sea ideas to make this summer? Try out some of our favorite below!
Handprint Mermaid Craft – This fun DIY is a great way for young children to get hands-on and make something creative! Using their little hands and simple supplies, they can create their very own paper mermaid. It’s the perfect activity for a rainy day or mermaid-themed party!
Clownfish Craft For Kids – Our clownfish project is like a puzzle and a craft all in one! Children can cut strips of white paper and then put them on the free template to create a beautiful project. Don’t forget to add a googly eye for an extra touch of fun!
Paper Plate Pirate Craft – We love paper plate crafts! They’re easy, inexpensive, and perfect for little hands. This pirate is no exception – it’s a great activity to spark your kids’ imaginations and get them excited to sail the high seas! They’ll have so much fun playing pretend with their new pirate matey.
Easy Jellyfish Painting – This easy idea is a great option for kids of all ages. They can use their favorite paint colors to bring our free printable jellyfish template to life! Watercolors work best for this craft, but any type of paint will do. Kids will love blending the different colors to create a fun and colorful jellyfish!
Sea Animal Printables
Our free printable coral reef play dough mat is a fun activity for younger and older kids. Print the pages out, laminate them for durability, and let children get creative with play dough!
They can make their own underwater world with different sea creatures and plants. This is a great activity for sensory play and developing fine motor skills.
Gather your colored pencils and crayons because this next activity is about coloring! Our ocean coloring pages feature eight underwater designs for kids to fill with vibrant colors.
They’re also a fun way to introduce children to the diverse marine life found on our planet! Coloring is always a great time-filler and can also help improve hand-eye coordination.
These whale dot to dot printables are the best way to help young children with their number sequencing skills. As they connect the dots, they’ll count and learn the order of numbers from 1 to 23!
Once they’re finished, they’ll have some cute whale pictures to hang up at home or in their classroom setting.
Try out this easy fish painting activity!
These rainbow fish activity sheets would go perfectly with the Rainbow Fish book or as a stand-alone activity.
With these fun printables, children can practice tracing, letter R recognition, counting, and more. They’ll also get a chance to color in the fun rainbow fish illustrations!
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!
Paper Plate Fish Craft For Kids
This colorful and fun paper plate fish is the perfect summer craft for kids!
Materials
- Paper plate
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
- Fish template
Instructions
- Download the fish template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.
- Paint a paper plate in 1-2 thin coats of bright paint. Let it dry completely before moving on.
- Place the fish body template on the paper plate, trace, and cut it out.
- Position the stripes in the middle of the body, glue them on, then cut off the excess paper.
- Glue the eye just to the left of the fish's nose.
- Use a black marker to draw a small smile below the eye.
- Take the top fin and glue it towards the back of the body, just above the tail fin.
- Next, take the bottom fin and glue it to the bottom side of the fish.
- Finish off the fish by gluing the side fin to the bottom of the fish, in between the bottom fin and the mouth.
Paper Plate Fish Template
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.
Marie
Tuesday 25th of June 2024
I like your idea. It's simple but nice.
Sam
Wednesday 26th of June 2024
Thanks, I appreciate that!
Anael Jadan
Friday 31st of May 2024
Fish plate craft template please
Sam
Tuesday 4th of June 2024
Since you’re a subscriber, you just need to click the “Click Here To Get Your Freebie” image at the end of the post and then enter your email in the form. After that, it’ll automatically redirect you to the download page ◡̈
Biky
Tuesday 28th of May 2024
Nice
Sam
Tuesday 28th of May 2024
Thanks!
joyforkids
Thursday 2nd of May 2024
your idea is very good. may i use it for kids?
Sam
Friday 3rd of May 2024
Thanks! All you need to do is enter your email in the form at the end of this post to have the link sent to you. Once you've been confirmed as an email subscriber (by clicking the link in the first email), you simply enter your email in any of the forms and it'll automatically redirect you to the download page.
Cindy Nelson
Tuesday 1st of August 2023
I cannot find the instructions to send for my fish template. The box for my email doesn't show up.
Sam
Wednesday 2nd of August 2023
I’m so sorry - it was my fault, not yours! My site was updated yesterday and there was a conflict that didn’t allow the form to show. But, it has been fixed now so you can enter your email in the form now. Thanks so much for your patience!