Paper Plate Raccoon Craft for Kids – Free Template
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Paper Plate Raccoon Craft for Kids – Free Template
If your little ones love woodland animals, this Paper Plate Raccoon craft is going to be an absolute favorite! With a grey painted paper plate face, a bold black eye mask that gives the raccoon its iconic bandit look, pointed ears with inner detail, a dark triangular nose, big expressive eyes, rosy pink button cheeks, and the most subtle and charming little smile, this raccoon is as adorable as it is easy to make. Whether you're exploring forest and woodland animals at home, planning a fall nature theme in the classroom, diving into a nocturnal animals unit, or just looking for a fun creative project, this Paper Plate Raccoon is guaranteed to steal hearts from the very first brushstroke.
Why Kids Love This Craft
There's something wonderfully satisfying about this raccoon — the bold black eye mask is the star of the show and kids absolutely love the moment it goes on and the paper plate suddenly transforms into an unmistakable raccoon face. The pink button cheeks add a sweet and playful touch that gives every finished raccoon its own unique personality, and the pointed ears give the whole craft a wonderful sense of dimension and realism. It's a wonderful craft for building fine motor skills through painting, cutting, and gluing, and because every kid positions their mask and cheeks a little differently, no two raccoons ever look exactly the same.
What You'll Need
- Free printable Paper Plate Raccoon template from CraftyYak.com
- 6 inch paper plate or template circle
- Grey paint or grey markers for the head
- Black paint or black paper for the mask
- Scrap paper for the ears and nose
- Googly eyes or template eyes
- Pink buttons or pink paint for the cheeks
- Black marker for the mouth
- Scissors
- Glue
How to Make a Paper Plate Raccoon Craft
Step 1 — Print and cut out the template.
Download the free Paper Plate Raccoon template from CraftyYak.com and cut out all the pieces — the head circle, eye mask, ears, nose, and eyes. For the quickest and easiest version use the no glue color and cut option included in the template — just color and cut for an instant raccoon!
Step 2 — Color the head grey.
Paint or color the paper plate or template head circle grey all over. This is your raccoon's face — the more even and solid the grey the more polished the finished raccoon will look! Let it dry completely before moving on.
Step 3 — Color the mask black and glue onto the head.
Color the eye mask piece solid black and glue it across the upper middle section of the grey head. This is the most exciting step — the moment that black mask goes on the raccoon suddenly comes to life!
Step 4 — Color the ears and glue on top of the head.
Color the two ear pieces grey with darker inner detail lines and glue them to the top of the head on either side. The pointed ears give the raccoon a wonderfully realistic and characterful silhouette.
Step 5 — Add the nose and eyes.
Glue the dark triangular nose to the center of the face just below the mask, then glue the eyes onto the mask — use googly eyes for extra personality or the template eyes for a cleaner drawn on look.
Step 6 — Add the cheeks.
Glue two pink buttons onto the lower face on either side of the nose for the most adorable rosy cheek detail — or use pink paint circles if you don't have buttons on hand. This finishing touch is what makes every raccoon look so irresistibly charming!
Step 7 — Draw the mouth.
Using a black marker draw a small subtle curved smile just below the nose. Keep it understated and slightly off center for the most characterful raccoon expression!
Your adorable paper plate raccoon is ready to raid the trash can! 🦝🍂
Tips for Making It Even Better
- Use actual pink buttons for the cheeks instead of paper or paint — they give the finished raccoon a wonderful tactile and dimensional quality that makes it look like a real craft store purchase.
- Paint the head in two coats of grey for the richest most even color — one thin coat can look patchy and doesn't give the same clean finished look.
- Add small lighter grey inner ear lines with a light grey marker or pencil crayon for a beautifully realistic ear detail that really elevates the finished craft.
- This raccoon looks amazing displayed on a dark green or brown forest background with some fallen leaf cutouts scattered around it — perfect for a fall classroom bulletin board or a woodland animal wall display!