One of the most magical creatures in the ocean has to be the octopus!
They’re amazing ability to camouflage, squeeze through tiny holes, and unique appearance make it one of kids’ favorite ocean animals.
This paper plate octopus craft is great for little octopus fans!
Not only will this craft engage those little minds, it’s also perfect for expressing creativity and following direction.
Check out our quick video below to see how to create this craft, then download the free printable template.
If you need more ideas, look at all of our ocean crafts for kids.
Octopus Paper Plate Craft

Supplies
- Paper Plate
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Paint (we used orange and blue)
- Paintbrush
- Pencil
- Glue
- Scissors
- Black marker
- Octopus template (enter your email in the form at the end of this post to have the link sent to you)
Directions
Download the octopus template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.

Paint a paper plate in 1-2 thin coats of paint. Let it dry before moving on.

Place the octopus head template on the paper plate, trace with a pencil, and cut it out.
Position the eyes in the middle of the head, one on each side of the head, and glue them in place.

Use the black marker to draw on the mouth and eyebrows. Next, use a marker (in a couple shades darker than the paint you used) to draw spots on the top of the octopus’s head.

Take the tentacles and wrap each one around your fingers or a marker to get the to curl. We wrapped the outside tentacles tightly and the middle tentacles loosely.

Place the 8 tentacles around the bottom of the octopus head and glue them in place.

That’s it! This is one fun ocean animal craft the kids are sure to enjoy!

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!

- Jellyfish Craft – This is one of our most popular crafts, probably because it’s super cute and easy to make!
- Clownfish Craft For Preschool – Need a quick and simple craft for young kids? This one is perfect!
- Shark Headband Craft – If your kids love creating headband crafts, they’ll definitely want to make this kid-friendly shark headband!

This ocean sensory bin is great for when you want something done for you. If you prefer the DIY route, try out this frozen ocean sensory bin.
The ocean playdough kit is a great way for kids to get hands-on with their play. Plus, the pre-made dough is ready to go, so all you need to do is open the box and start playing.
It’s a fun way to explore the ocean world without getting wet, and it’s also a great way to develop fine motor skills. So whether your child is a beach bum or a landlubber, the ocean play dough kit is sure to be a hit!
Share With Us
Did you make this craft with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!
For a chance to have your child’s craft 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!
More Ocean Fun For Kids

Paper Plate Octopus Craft For Kids
This paper plate octopus is a fun summer craft for kids to make!
Materials
- Paper Plate
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Paint (we used orange and blue)
- Paintbrush
- Pencil
- Glue
- Scissors
- Black marker
- Octopus template
Instructions
- Download the octopus template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.
- Paint a paper plate in 1-2 thin coats of paint. Let it dry before moving on.
- Place the octopus head template on the paper plate, trace with a pencil, and cut it out.
- Position the eyes in the middle of the head, one on each side of the head, and glue them in place.
- Use the black marker to draw on the mouth and eyebrows. Next, use a marker (in a couple shades darker than the paint you used) to draw spots on the top of the octopus's head.
- Take the tentacles and wrap each one around your fingers or a marker to get them to curl. We wrapped the outside tentacles tightly and the middle tentacles loosely.
- Place the 8 tentacles around the bottom of the octopus head and glue them in place.
Anula
Monday 27th of June 2022
I need the paper plate octopus template please
Sam
Wednesday 29th of June 2022
Of course! All you need to do is enter your email in the form at the end of the post and the link will be sent to you 🙂
Wendy
Wednesday 22nd of June 2022
The local preK children are focusing on ocean creatures. Please send me the template for the paper plate octopus. Thank you!
Sam
Wednesday 29th of June 2022
Of course! All you need to do is enter your email in the form at the end of the post and the link will be sent to you 🙂
Kizzy
Wednesday 20th of April 2022
This is lovely, was looking for an octopus craft to add to our ecosystem and this is perfect!!
Sam
Thursday 21st of April 2022
Oh, great! I'm so glad!
Hideliza Adizas Frank
Friday 10th of September 2021
I love this!
Sam
Friday 10th of September 2021
THanks!
yuni
Thursday 8th of July 2021
me need the template
Sam
Friday 9th of July 2021
Of course! All you need to do is enter your email in the form at the end of post to have the link sent to you.