This paper plate Easter basket craft is really simple to make, but ever so pretty! And each child can add their own art to the design.
Paper plate Easter basket craft
To make our Easter baskets we used paper plates (two per child), paint, scissors and something to stick the basket together: either staples, sticky tape or glue. Adding white to our usual craft paints gave us a pretty selection of pastel Easter colours.
Each child painted their own design on to the ‘wrong’ side of the paper plate. This side takes the paint better than the waxed side, and the curve of the plate works better when you fold it from this side.
You can paint any design you like, from a pretty pattern…
spring flowers…
or a meadow. Have a think about how the basket will look when it’s folded, and you can paint the underneath and sides of your plate to reveal a scene when it’s folded.
Once the paint is dry, you need to cut and fold your paper plate to make the basket. Use a ruler and pencil to draw a cross that meets in the centre of your plate.
You need to mark a section on each of the four radiuses to show you where to cut your lines – see the photo below as a guide. Our paper plate measured 23cm in diameter and we made each cutting line 7.5cm long.
I’ve used a marker pen here to make the lines easier for you to see, but I’d suggest you use a faint pencil line, so you won’t see it when you fold up the basket. Snip along each of the four cutting lines.
Then fold up your paper plate, as show below. Each quarter of the plate overlaps its neighbour to give you a basket shape. You can fasten this in place using staples, sticky tape or glue – depending on how neat and quick you want the finished basket to be.
Use a second paper plate to make a handle. Cut off half of the rim to give you an arch, and faster it at either side to your basket – again, using staples, tape or glue to suit.
Aren’t they pretty? They’re really simple for children to make, and I love each child’s Easter basket will have their own unique art work on. You can add a little ribbon bow as a final flourish, and fill them with tissue paper and Easter treats.
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Kate_Laughing Kids Learn says
12/04/2014 at 1:11 pmThis is so wonderful and simple for kids to make. I can’t wait to try it out!
Trizzle1010 says
15/04/2017 at 11:59 pmI made these for my siblings today and I can’t wait to see their reaction tomorrow! They are so easy to make!
Virgie JB says
15/04/2014 at 12:26 amCute, pretty and very simple as well, thankyou for the idea 🙂 Happy Easter.
hajira says
22/04/2014 at 9:19 pmLovely -can be made for many diff occasions ,eg Mothers day
Linda O says
14/03/2015 at 9:10 pmThis is a great idea! I’M going to put baby’s finger prints around out side for first basket.
Cathy James says
15/03/2015 at 7:13 pmThat is such a lovely idea Linda!
Keavonnie says
18/03/2015 at 2:03 amFabulous idea… Can’t wait to try thus with my kids and their friends!!!
Cathy James says
19/03/2015 at 7:16 pmHope you have fun making it Keavonnie.
pris says
26/03/2015 at 9:54 pmA defnite “must do”
Art work with paimt a besty for the little ones. Thank you
Catherine says
16/02/2016 at 1:01 amThis is so cute! I love it. I think we might be making these in our art class soon. Thanks for sharing! Found you through Pintrest.
Gail Johnson says
13/03/2016 at 2:45 pmI love this idea. I think I will try this with my students this year.
Gail
Samantha says
21/03/2016 at 11:11 amHas anyone attempted to hot glue these baskets together? We are planning to do it for a classroom activity and I have more hot glue than staples!
Cathy James says
22/03/2016 at 8:19 amHi Samantha. I haven’t tried making them with a hot glue gun but I wonder if the type of paper plate will make a difference. If yours have a very shiny surface, perhaps the glue will not hold well? Worth doing a trial first. Let us know how they turn out.
Susan says
19/03/2017 at 3:05 amA wonderfully simple but brilliant idea. Environmentally sustainable & food safe
Thanks for this trick.
Wendy Nolan says
22/03/2017 at 10:39 pmKids will love this. My plan is to leave eggs in it when they head on their holidays. Tissue paper a lovely thought
Ms. Kricket says
09/04/2017 at 11:03 pmGreat idea! I will be making them with my art students for May day. We will bring them to the cancer clinic in town. Thank you for sharing.
Cathy James says
10/04/2017 at 8:47 amWhat a lovely idea Ms. Kricket. Happy May Day!
Nagina says
16/04/2017 at 3:16 pmGreat idea not just for easter!
Marie Holley says
28/03/2018 at 7:06 pmI love this idea and will have my preschool class make them tomorrow. My question is how much weight can they hold before the handle tears off?
Cathy James says
29/03/2018 at 8:57 amHi Marie. That’s going to depend on how thick your paper plate is, and how you fasten on the handle. Ours held up fine to an egg hunt and a fair bit of running around.
Olga says
31/03/2018 at 11:15 amThis is Exelent Idea! Thank you very much!