Here’s a super cute and easy to make dinosaur craft using just a paper plate and a toilet roll tube.
How to make a paper plate dinosaur craft
This is a super dinosaur art project for young children.
You can make an easy dinosaur craft using basic materials. All you need is a paper plate, a paper roll, and paint.
Make a diplodocus, triceratops or design your own dinosaur. You can make it as cute or scary as you like.
Even better, this is a dinosaur craft that stands up on its own which means you can use it as a model, a puppet or a toy to play with in a dinosaur small world play land.
Materials needed
:: paper plate
:: paper roll / toilet roll tube
:: paint
:: paint brushes or sponges
:: pen
:: scissors
:: glue or sticky tape
How to make a dinosaur from a paper plate
First, cut the paper plate in half.
Cut the toilet roll tube in half too and make two cuts to the top side of each piece. Make the cuts about 1.5cm each. These will be the slits where you will attach the body to these legs, so your dinosaur can stand.
Use the other half of your paper plate to make a head and a tail.
Use a pencil to draw both shapes on the plate. You can look at dinosaur pictures and copy the head and tail shape of your favourite dinosaur or create your own design.
I’ve used a pen in the photograph above to make it clearer for you to see but you might prefer to use a pencil for your dinosaur so the outline doesn’t show on your finished model.
You can also make spikes to go along the spine of your dinosaur if your like.
Then, paint your dinosaur. Acrylic paint gives good coverage but you can also use poster paint, watercolours, crayons, coloured pencils or pens.
You can use your fingers, paint brushes or sponges to apply the paint.
You can use the usual dinosaur colours of green and brown but you might also like to have fun creating a brightly-coloured dino.
Mixing several shades of paint can create interesting patterns.
Paint both sides of the paper plate, head and tail and all the way round the outside of the legs so your model will look good from all angles.
Once the paint is dry you can assemble your dinosaur.
Use tape or glue or staples to attach the head and tail to the paper plate body.
You can use a pen to add eyes and a mouth.
Add spikes if you’ve made them.
Slide the body of the dinosaur into the slots on the toilet-roll legs. You can add a dab of glue if you want, to hold it in place more securely.
How to use your dinosaur model
You can use your dino in lots of ways to enhance learning and develop language and imagination:
:: use your dinosaur model as the centrepiece of a discovery table all about dinosaurs
:: use your dinosaur as a puppet to act out a story about how dinosaurs lived
:: play with your dinosaur in a small world
Dinosaur thematic unit
Use my dinosaur thematic unit lesson plans to build a complete five day programme of dinosaur activities – including dinosaur alphabet printable and “My Favourite Dinosaur” journal pages.
Plus, you can find over 60 all-planned-and-prepped-for-you thematic units here.
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