Paper Plate Octopus Craft For Kids [Free Template]
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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 DIY paper plate octopus craft is great for little octopus fans!
If you need more ideas, look at all of our ocean crafts for kids.
Octopus Paper Plate Craft
Not only will this craft engage those little minds, but it’s also perfect for expressing creativity and following directions. Check out our quick video below to see how to create this craft, then download the free printable template to get started making this fascinating sea creature.
Supplies
- Paper Plate
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Paint (we used orange and blue)
- Paintbrush
- Pencil
- Glue
- Scissors
- Black marker
- Octopus template (click the “click here to get your freebies” image at the end of the post)
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 octopus to life!
First, guide your child to paint a paper plate with 1-2 thin coats of paint. Let it dry before moving on.
Place the octopus head template on the paper plate, trace it 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.
Next, help your child to 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.
Finally, encourage your child to glue the 8 tentacles around the bottom of the octopus head.
Be sure to check out our animal crafts while you’re here! Your kids will love creating more fun DIYs like this one!
Under The Sea Children’s Books
Reading books with your kids isn’t just a fun bonding activity; it’s also a great way to contribute to their development. Children who are exposed to books early on are more likely to become proficient readers themselves. But that’s only the beginning.
Reading also enhances vocabulary, improves memory and cognitive function, and boosts creativity.
Books can expose kids to different cultures, perspectives, and experiences that they wouldn’t otherwise encounter. Plus, sharing stories with your children sets the foundation for a lifelong love of learning and literacy!
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 Creatures Crafts For Kids
Jellyfish Craft – Create a magical jellyfish with just paper, glue, and our printable template! This easy jellyfish craft is perfect for little hands. Have kids choose their favorite colors to create unique jellyfish. Once finished, use them to create a swimmingly fun ocean scene in your homeschool or classroom!
Related: Ocean Cutting Practice Pages
Clownfish Craft For Preschool – This craft couldn’t be any easier, but it’s still a ton of fun. Kids can work on their cutting and pasting skills and create something to be proud of. This clownfish craft is perfect for a rainy day camp activity or a fun ocean unit study craft to do at home.
Shark Headband Craft – Do your kids love sharks? Well, you have to check out this craft! Kids can decorate and customize our printable headband template to transform into a snappy shark. If they don’t feel like coloring, we have a pre-colored version they can use instead!
Paper Chain Octopus Craft – Paper chains are a classic craft for kids. They’re great for development as they must connect each piece using hand-eye coordination, critical thinking, and fine motor skills. But why make plain paper chains when you can make a cool octopus instead?!
Ocean Activities For Children
These shark worksheets are a great addition to any ocean unit. Kids can practice handwriting, letter recognition, and more with these fun activities. Download our free printable worksheets and let the underwater learning begin.
Try this Shark Headband Craft
Kids love a good coloring activity, and our jellyfish dot to dots are no exception! This activity lets kids work on their numeracy skills while completing each jellyfish image. Once complete, your little ones can hang them up around the house or classroom to show off their work!
Our ocean animal worksheets are perfect for preschoolers! A complete collection of entertaining learning activities, this set of worksheets has something for everyone. Each activity has kids develop their memory, fine motor skills, and problem-solving capabilities in a fun way.
Bring some extra fun to the learning day with these A House for Hermit Crab printables. From crafting to practicing phonics, these printables offer many educational opportunities! Print these activities out, and your kids can learn something new in the theme of their favorite ocean storybook.
Share With Us
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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 Octopus Craft For Kids
Video
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.
- Begin by painting a paper plate with 1-2 thin coats of paint. Let it dry before moving on.
- Place the octopus head template on the paper plate, trace it 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.
- Next, 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.
- Finish off by gluing the 8 tentacles around the bottom of the octopus head.
Did you make this?
Don’t forget to leave a comment below and make sure to follow on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok for more!
Free Octopus Template
Meet 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.
