Paper Plate Penguin

This chilly friend is a joy to make — with just a few simple materials and easy steps, kids can paint, glue and craft their very own waddling penguin while learning about one of Antarctica’s cutest creatures.

  • Category: Polar animals

You’ll Need:

  • 2 paper plates
  • Black paint
  • Orange paper
  • Googly eyes
  • Scissors
  • Glue or tape

Let’s Make it:

  1. Take two paper plates. Keep one plain white for the penguin’s belly. From the second plate, cut out a large oval ring but leave it open at the bottom so it looks like wings instead of a complete ring. Paint this piece black, then glue it on top of the white plate to form the penguin’s wings and body outline.
  2. From the same plate you cut the wings out of, take the rounded piece you trimmed off. This piece already has a curved edge that looks just right for the penguin’s head. Paint the top half of this rounded piece black, leaving the bottom half white. This will create the penguin’s face — white for the cheeks and black for the top of the head.
  1. Cut a small triangle piece from paper and color it orange to make the beak. Glue on two googly eyes and the orange beak onto the rounded head piece. Once the face is ready, glue the head to the top of the penguin’s body so it slightly overlaps.
  2. Cut two small triangles from paper and color them orange. Glue one triangle to each side at the bottom of the penguin’s body plate so they stick out like little flippers.

Did You Know?

  • Penguins can’t fly like other birds, but they are amazing swimmers! Their wings work like flippers, helping them zoom through the water faster than most humans can swim.
  • Penguins can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes while diving for food.
  • Their favorite meals? Fish, krill, and squid.
  • Penguins also take turns caring for their eggs — the fathers keep them warm on their feet while mothers hunt for food.

Why We Love It:

  • Very easy for little hands to put together.
  • A playful way to learn about penguins and Antarctic  animals.
  • Uses simple materials — quick to set up and easy to clean.

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