Jellyfish Paper Plate Craft for Kids – Free Template
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Jellyfish Paper Plate Craft for Kids – Free Template
Jellyfish Paper Plate Craft for Kids – Free Template
Dive into some under-the-sea fun with this adorable jellyfish paper plate craft! With a dreamy painted body, big googly eyes, rosy pink cheeks, and curly pipe cleaner tentacles that dangle and bounce, this little jellyfish is as cute as it is easy to make. Whether you're exploring ocean animals at home, planning an under-the-sea theme in the classroom, or just looking for a fun summer craft, this jellyfish is guaranteed to make a splash from the very first brushstroke.
Why Kids Love This Craft
There's something magical about watching a plain paper plate transform into a happy little sea creature! Kids love painting the body in swirly ocean colors — no two jellyfish ever turn out the same — and curling the pipe cleaner tentacles around their fingers to make them spiral and bounce. The big googly eyes and rosy cheeks give this jellyfish loads of personality, and because it's such a hands-on craft, it's a wonderful way to build fine-motor skills through painting, cutting, gluing, and curling. Best of all, the dangling tentacles make it look like it's floating right through the water!
What You'll Need
- 6-inch paper plate (or the printable template)
- Paint
- Googly eyes (or the template eyes)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Black marker
- Pipe cleaners or ribbon (for the tentacles)
- Free printable template (download below!)
How to Make a Paper Plate Jellyfish
Step 1 — Print and trace the template. Print the free jellyfish template and trace the body shape onto your paper plate. This gives you that classic rounded jellyfish dome with a wavy bottom edge.
Step 2 — Paint the body. Paint the jellyfish body in any ocean colors you like — soft pinks, purples, blues, and greens all look beautiful swirled together. Let it dry completely before moving on.
Step 3 — Cut out the body. Once the paint is dry, carefully cut out the jellyfish body along the traced line, including the wavy bottom edge.
Step 4 — Add the eyes and cheeks. Cut out and glue on the eyes and rosy pink cheeks. You can use googly eyes for extra personality or the printable template eyes for a drawn-on look.
Step 5 — Curl the tentacles. Wrap each pipe cleaner around your finger to create fun, springy curls. The more you curl them, the bouncier your jellyfish tentacles will be!
Step 6 — Attach the tentacles. Glue the curled pipe cleaners onto the back of the body so they hang downward like flowing tentacles. Space them out evenly along the bottom edge.
Step 7 — Draw the finishing details. Use a black marker to draw on a happy little mouth and some cute eyelashes. Let everything dry, and your jellyfish is ready to float away!
Your under-the-sea jellyfish is ready to make a splash! 🐙
Tips for Making It Even Better
- Try using iridescent or glittery pipe cleaners for the tentacles — they catch the light and give your jellyfish a magical, shimmery underwater glow.
- Mix ribbon in with the pipe cleaners for tentacles with different textures and lengths, just like a real jellyfish.
- Let kids blend two or three paint colors right on the plate for a dreamy watercolor effect on the body.
- Hang the finished jellyfish from the ceiling or a window with a piece of string so the tentacles dangle freely — it makes an amazing under-the-sea display!