This simple activity uses only a few items, many of which you might already have on hand in your classroom! You’ll need paper plates, pencils, scissors, and yarn. An optional item to add is paint, if you would like to give children the opportunity to paint their paper plates different colors. If you include painting, you’ll want to invite the children to paint the plates first and let them fully dry before getting started with the rest of the project.
To get started, you’ll draw and cut out a large shape in the center of each plate. If you work with younger children, you will probably want to pre-cut the shapes, while older children might be able to cut the shapes out on their own. Then, give the children some yarn that they can wrap around the outside of the plate and through the shape in the center. Some children might need some assistance while they get the hang of wrapping the yarn. Working with yarn is a fun way to discover shapes, and an excellent way to build fine motor skills!
As the children are working on this activity, you can talk with them about the shape in the middle of their plate, and then point out the shapes that each of the other children is working with. You might also compare the colors of the plates and strings of yarn. The completed works of paper plate art are great for displaying— perhaps with a small paper label attached to each, noting the shape cut from that plate’s center.