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!You can even use it as an art project while learning about sea life or tropical fish.

paper plate fish craft image collage with the words paper plate fish craft in the middle

Simple Fish Craft

Watch our quick video tutorial to see just how simple it is to make, then be sure to download the free template for a fun ocean themed activity! This sea creature DIY is ideal for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary aged children!

Supplies

Paper plate
Paint
Paintbrush
Colored cardstock or construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Pencil
Fish template (click the “click here to get your freebies” image at the end of the post)

Click here to see our favorite kids’ craft supplies.

Directions

Start by downloading and printing the template. Once the template is printed, gather the materials for this fun activity. Get those scissors ready, and let’s help the kids bring this fish to life!

hand holding paper plate fish craft template

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.

hand tracing fish template on paper plate fish craft

Click here to see why I recommend these craft supplies

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.

hand gluing bottom fin to paper plate fish

Finally, glue the side fin to the bottom of the fish, in between the bottom fin and the mouth.

hand gluing side fin to paper plate fish

This activity is a fun summer craft kids will enjoy creating!

Fun Fish Paper Bag Puppet For Pretend Play!

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!

Best Fish Books For Preschoolers

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 encourage 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!

Fish Color By Numbers

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.

Collage image of Ocean Activities For Kids

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.

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!

Try out this easy fish painting activity!

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!

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