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Paper Plate Monkey Craft [Free Template]

Do your kids love monkeys? If so, they’ll have a blast making their own paper plate monkey craft!

This easy kids’ craft is perfect for jungle animal school themes or for a jungle animal birthday party craft!

It’s super simple and it comes with a free printable template so it’s easy to make at home or in the classroom with preschool, kindergarten and elementary children.

We love paper plate crafts because they’re easy, cheap and quick to make!

Read our step by step directions or watch our short video tutorial to see how easy it is to make with your kids or students.

Monkey Craft For Preschool

paper plate monkey craft collage image with the words "paper plate monkey" in between

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Supplies

Directions

Download the free printable monkey template, print and cut out the pieces.

hands holding monkey template

Paint the paper plate in a medium shade of brown acrylic paint. Let dry completely.

If you want to make the monkey’s ears from paper plates as well, you’ll need to paint 2 paper plates total for each monkey. In our example, we used card stock for the ears.

hands painting paper plate brown

Glue the monkey’s face in the middle of the paper plate. Glue each eye in the space above the nose on each side.

hands gluing on center of monkey's face
hands gluing on eye to paper plate monkey

Cut out the monkey’s ears from the second paper plate or the colored paper. Glue the tan inner ear to the brown outer ear. Repeat on both sides.

hands gluing on inner ear to outer ear with monkey paper plate to the right

Secure the monkey’s completed ears to the top, backside of the paper plate. Whenever we need to secure something to the curved part of a paper plate, we use tape. It’s much easier for things to stick to it and there’s no wait time for the glue to dry.

If you don’t have tape, just make sure you use enough glue and let it dry completely before handling the craft.

hands gluing on completed ear to back of paper plate monkey

That’s all you need to do to make this cute monkey craft!

Do you want to keep your kids entertained all year long with fun animal crafts? We’ve got you covered! Our animal craft book has 52 weeks of unique & adorable animal crafts for kids. Watch your child’s creativity blossom as they improve fine motor skills!

Related: Lion Card Craft For Kids

paper plate monkey on marble background with green fabric

Jungle Animal Preschool Unit

If you’re making this monkey craft and want to turn it into a jungle animal preschool unit, we’ve got a few suggestions for you!

First are these jungle animal worksheets for preschoolers. This pack is great and helps kids with counting, ABCs, handwriting practice and more!

light brown paper plate monkey on marble background with green fabric

If your children love storytime, check out some of these best jungle animal books:

Rumble in the JungleShop on Amazon Jingo in the Jungle: Saving...Shop on Amazon Five Little Monkeys Jumping...Shop on Amazon

Finally, wrap up your jungle theme with this rainforest sensory bin or this jungle-themed slime!

two paper plate monkey crafts on marble background with green fabric
paper plate monkey on marble background with green fabric

Share With Us

Did you make this paper plate craft with your kids or students? We’d love to see how they turn out!

Snap a quick picture of your completed project and post it to our Facebook page or join our private Facebook group and share it in there!

two paper plate monkeys on marble background with green fabric

More Monkey Crafts For Kids

Get Our Favorite Paper Plate Crafts!

two paper plate monkeys

Paper Plate Monkey Craft

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Time: 10 minutes
Drying Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Make this cute and easy paper plate monkey craft! It's great for jungle themed parties or study units!

Materials

  • Paper plates
  • Brown paint
  • Colored card stock or construction paper (in tan and medium brown)
  • White card stock
  • Tape (optional)
  • Glue stick
  • Monkey template (download form located at the end of this page)

Tools

  • Paintbrush
  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Download the free monkey template, print and cut out the pieces.
  2. Paint a paper plate medium brown and let dry completely.
  3. Glue the monkey's face to the middle of the paper plate.
  4. Glue both eyes to the face, just above the nose on both sides.
  5. Glue the tan inner ear to the brown outer ear on both sides.
  6. Use tape to secure the monkey's ears to the top, sides of his face.

Did you make this craft?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Free Monkey Template

Free Monkey Template

Enter your email below to download your free monkey template and join the email list.

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Amery

Monday 23rd of October 2023

thank you for the free template!

Sam

Tuesday 24th of October 2023

You're very welcome!

Courtney

Thursday 8th of September 2022

Awesome!

Sam

Monday 12th of September 2022

THanks!

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