Easy Paper Plate Crown Craft for Kids

Turn an ordinary paper plate into a colorful crown kids can decorate and wear! This easy paper plate crown craft is a fun, low-prep art activity for toddlers and preschoolers—and you don’t need a printable crown template to make it.

Children can paint their crowns, add colorful gems and sequins, and then use them for dress-up and pretend play. They can make princess crowns, prince crowns, king and queen crowns, or something completely unique.

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Why You’ll Love This Paper Plate Crown Craft

Simple crafts are often the biggest hits in my home daycare. I don’t want to spend all morning cutting out complicated shapes and templates, and young children usually enjoy creating more when they can make their own choices.

For this paper plate crown craft, an adult prepares the center of the plate, and then the children take over. They can choose their paint colors, arrange their decorations, and decide exactly how their crowns should look.

Paper plates are also an inexpensive craft supply, so every child can make their own crown. Once the crowns are dry, they become wearable props that encourage storytelling and imaginative play.

My daycare kids have worn their crowns for royal snack parties, dress-up games, trips to the park, and plenty of made-up adventures!

Supplies for Your Paper Plate Crown

You will need:

• Plain paper plates
• Washable tempera paint
• White school glue
• Paintbrushes
• Sequins
• Acrylic gems or self-adhesive craft jewels
• Scissors for adult use
• A paint tray or small containers
• A table covering or washable art mat

You can also offer stickers, dot markers, crayons, foam shapes, pom-poms, or other lightweight craft materials.

Safety note: Sequins, gems, and other small craft supplies can be choking hazards. Closely supervise toddlers and preschoolers, or substitute larger stickers and foam shapes when needed.

How to Make a Paper Plate Crown

1. Prepare the Paper Plate

This step should be completed by an adult.

Gently fold the paper plate in half and make a small cut in the center. Unfold the plate and insert your scissors into the opening.

Cut eight straight lines from the center toward the outside of the plate, as if you were cutting a pizza. Stop each cut before reaching the raised outer rim.

The rim must remain connected, as it will form the crown band. When you are finished cutting, the center of the plate should have eight triangular sections.

2. Set Out the Decorating Supplies

Place the prepared paper plates on a covered table. Set out the paint, brushes, gems, sequins, stickers, and any other decorations you want the children to use.

Turn the plates so the bottom side faces up. This is the side children should paint and decorate because it will be visible when the crown points are folded upward.

3. Paint the Crowns

Let each child choose the colors for their crown. Gold and silver are fun for traditional royal crowns, but there is no reason to limit the children’s choices. Colorful, mismatched crowns are often the most interesting!

Children can paint the entire plate or add dots, stripes, swirls, and other designs.

4. Add Gems and Decorations

Children can press sequins, plastic gems, foam shapes, or other decorations into the sticky paint. If you are using regular paint, add white glue where needed to hold the decorations in place.

This is a great opportunity for children to practice making choices and arranging materials independently. Their crowns do not need to match an adult example.

5. Let the Crowns Dry

Leave the crowns lying flat until the paint and glue are completely dry.

If the children used a lot of paint or glue, check the crowns occasionally while they dry. Gently separate the cut sections so the triangular points do not become stuck together.

6. Fold Up the Crown Points

Once the crown is completely dry, carefully fold each triangular section upward. Crease the bottom of each triangle where it meets the rim of the plate. Arrange the points until the crown has the shape you want.

Now your paper plate crown is ready to wear!

Try Making Sticky Paint

When I originally made these crowns with toddlers, I mixed washable paint with white school glue to create “sticky paint.” This allowed the children to paint and attach their sequins and gems in one step. It was much easier for little hands than squeezing and controlling a glue bottle.

To make sticky paint, pour a small amount of white school glue into a cup or paint tray. Mix in a little washable paint until you reach the color you want.

Children can brush the sticky paint onto their crowns and press the decorations directly into the wet mixture.

If you would rather use regular paint, let the painted crowns dry before adding decorations with glue.

What Children Learn from This Crown Craft

This paper plate crown craft is more than a cute art project. As children paint and decorate, they are also practicing:

• Fine motor skills
• Hand-eye coordination
• Creative decision-making
• Color recognition
• Pattern creation
• Language and storytelling
• Imaginative and dramatic play

Picking up and placing small decorations helps strengthen the fingers and hands children will later use for writing, drawing, buttoning, and other everyday tasks.

Open-ended crafts also give children an opportunity to make independent choices. Instead of following one exact example, they can experiment with colors, textures, patterns, and different arrangements.

Ways to Use Your Paper Plate Crowns

These wearable crowns can be added to many preschool themes and activities. Try making them for:

• A fairy-tale or castle theme
• King, queen, prince, or princess pretend play
• A child’s birthday celebration
• A letter K or letter Q activity
• A dramatic play center
• A classroom celebration
• A storybook extension activity
• A rainy-day craft at home

You can also set out different colors and decorations and invite children to design crowns for their favorite stuffed animals or storybook characters.

Easy Paper Plate Crown Variations

There are many ways to change this crown craft to fit your current preschool theme.

• For a traditional royal crown, use gold or silver paint with colorful gems.
• For a nature crown, use green paint and decorate it with paper flowers, leaves, or nature-themed stickers.
• For a birthday crown, add the child’s name, age, and favorite colors.
• For a fairy-tale theme, let children design crowns inspired by characters from the books you are reading.

You can also skip the paint and use crayons, washable markers, dot markers, or stickers. This is a helpful option when children want to wear their crowns immediately.

Paper Plate Crown Craft FAQs

What Size Paper Plate Works Best?

A standard 9-inch paper plate generally works well for toddlers and preschoolers.

If the opening is too snug, carefully extend each cut slightly closer to the outer rim. Be careful not to cut completely through the rim.

Can Toddlers Make This Crown Craft?

Yes! An adult should cut and prepare the paper plates first. Toddlers can then paint and decorate their crowns with close supervision.

For younger children, consider using large stickers, washable dot markers, or foam shapes instead of small gems and sequins.

Can We Make Paper Plate Crowns Without Paint?

Absolutely. Children can decorate their crowns with crayons, washable markers, dot markers, stickers, or pieces of colorful paper. A paint-free version requires less cleanup and can be worn immediately.

How Long Does This Craft Take?

Decorating usually takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the child and the materials provided. Crowns made with paint and glue will need additional drying time before the points can be folded up.

Do I Need a Crown Template?

No template is needed. The crown shape is created by cutting triangular sections into the center of a regular paper plate while leaving the outer rim connected.

How Do You Keep the Decorations from Falling Off?

White school glue works well for lightweight sequins, gems, and foam shapes. You can also mix glue with paint to make sticky paint. Let the crown dry completely before folding the points or allowing children to wear it.

More Crafts and Pretend Play Ideas

If your children enjoy making wearable crafts, try this easy pony bead crown craft. Threading the beads provides additional fine motor practice for preschoolers.

You might also enjoy making a colorful Mardi Gras mask craft for dress-up and imaginative play.

For more ways to encourage storytelling, explore these creative dramatic play ideas for preschoolers.

This easy paper plate crown craft combines art, fine motor practice, and pretend play in one inexpensive activity. Set out the supplies, let children create their own royal designs, and enjoy seeing where their imaginations take them!

Looking for more crafts and activities? Check out our index for 100+ kids’ activities! Find activities by theme, materials, skills, age, and much more!