Parrot Paper Plate Craft

This parrot paper plate craft is a colorful and fun kids activity that turns a simple paper plate into a bright tropical bird. With bold feathers, a big beak, and a googly eye, this playful parrot craft is perfect for pirate themes, summer crafts, or imaginative play.

Materials for This Parrot Paper Plate Craft

This parrot craft uses simple supplies you may already have on hand. Most of these materials can also be found at the Dollar Store, making it an easy and budget-friendly craft for kids.

Materials

Paper Plate
Wiggle Eye
Cardstock – Bright Green, Kelly Green, Yellow, Red
Acrylic Craft Paint – Bright Green, Kelly Green, Yellow
Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Paintbrush
Scissors
Pencil
Patterns

Once your supplies are ready, let’s start creating your colorful pirate parrot.

How to Make a Paper Plate Parrot Craft

This paper plate parrot comes together with painted details, layered paper feathers, and one big googly eye for personality.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Gather all supplies and place them on your work surface so everything is ready to go before you begin.

White paper plate, three bottles of acrylic paint (green, light green, yellow), googly eyes package, hot glue gun, scissors, paintbrush, pencil, black marker, and sheets of green, yellow, and red cardstock on a wood surface.

Step 2: Download and Cut Out the Patterns

Download and print the parrot patterns, then cut them out with scissors so they are ready to trace.

Step 3: Trace the Parrot onto the Paper Plate

Trace the parrot once onto the outside of a paper plate with a pencil.

Paper plate with a curved shape drawn on it using a pencil, with a paper pattern piece nearby.

Step 4: Cut Out the Parrot Shape

Cut out the parrot pattern with scissors, making sure to cut inside the traced lines for a clean, finished project.

Paper plate with a section cut out using scissors, leaving a curved opening.

Step 5: Paint the Parrot Body and Beak

Basecoat the parrot body with bright green acrylic craft paint, and the parrot beak with yellow acrylic craft paint. Set aside to dry and apply a second coat, if necessary.

Paper plate painted green with the beak area painted yellow. Two bottles of paint and a paintbrush are next to it.

Step 6: Trace the Wing, Tail Feathers, and Talon

Trace the wing, or a child’s hand, pattern once on yellow, once on bright green, and once on kelly green cardstock. Then trace the tail feather pattern once on red, once on yellow, twice on bright green, and twice on kelly green cardstock. Lastly trace the talon once onto yellow cardstock with a pencil.

You could also use colored craft foam, construction paper, or craft felt for this project.

Paper pattern pieces traced onto green, yellow, and red cardstock with a pencil.

Step 7: Cut Out the Pattern Pieces

Cut out all the patterns with scissors, making sure to cut inside the traced lines for a clean, finished project.

Cut out cardstock shapes including hand shapes and long curved feather shapes in green, yellow, and red.

Step 8: Attach the Wiggle Eye

Attach the wiggle eye to the parrot’s head with a glue gun and glue sticks.

Green painted paper plate with a googly eye attached and a hot glue gun nearby.

Step 9: Add the Wings and Tail Feathers

Layer and attach the three wing patterns to the body of the parrot with a glue gun and glue sticks. Layer and glue the six tail feather patterns to the back bottom of the parrot.

Layered cardstock wings being glued together next to the green painted paper plate.

Layered cardstock tail feather shapes being glued together next to the green painted paper plate.

Tip: You can use liquid craft glue for this project, but you will have to wait for it to dry.

Layered cardstock feather shapes attached to the green painted paper plate.

Step 10: Paint the Feather Details

Paint scalloped lines on the body of the parrot with kelly green acrylic craft paint. Set aside to dry.

Green painted paper plate with wavy lines painted on it using green paint.

Step 11: Attach the Talon

Attach the talon to the back bottom of the parrot with a glue gun and glue sticks.

Cardstock foot being glued to the parrot paper plate craft

Step 12: Finish the Beak Details

To finish, draw the horizontal and vertical lines on the parrot’s beak with a black marker.

Black marker being used to add finishing touches to the parrot paper plate craft.

Now your colorful pirate parrot is ready to perch proudly!

Grab the Parrot Paper Plate Craftivity

If you’d like to make this pirate parrot paper plate craft even easier, grab the craftivity that includes the printable patterns used for this project along with a mini instruction ebook.

The craftivity gives you everything you need to recreate the craft with clear patterns and easy instructions, making it perfect for classrooms, homeschool activities, or pirate-themed craft days.

More Pirate Crafts Your Kids Will Love

If your kiddos had fun making this pirate craft, don’t stop the adventure here! Below you will find some more of our favorite pirate crafts that we have shared on site:

Pirate Hook Paper Cup Craft

Anchor Paper Plate Craft

Pirate Girl Paper Plate Craft

Pirate Ship Wheel Paper Plate Craft

Pirate Boy Paper Plate Craft

Graphic showing a turquoise mermaid tail paper plate craft with the text “Mermaid Tail Paper Plate Craft” on a pink background.

Paper Plate Mermaid Tail Craft for Kids

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Please Share This Parrot Paper Plate Craft

If your kiddos enjoyed making this pirate craft, I’d love to see it! Snap a photo and share your creation, or pin this craft so you can come back to it later. Sharing helps other families and teachers discover fun, hands-on activities too. 🏴‍☠️