Easy Paper Plate Apple Craft

Paper plate apple crafts are a bit of an autumn classic and our version is totally kid and preschooler friendly as you can see in the images below of my own kids making these.

Using cotton wool is also a great way to use supplies that you might already have at home and it gives the paint an effect that I think looks pretty realistic for an apple, plus it’s more fun than just getting the colouring pens out.

When we moved house earlier this year one of my favourite things about it was the apple tree in the garden. Over the last few months we’ve watched the blossom turn into tiny apples and then watched them grow and grow. It’s been a good lesson in patience for all of us and I still have no idea if they’ll be nice or – ugh – crab apples but I really love that tree. When we were sat down ready to make this apple craft I asked the kids what colour apples were. ‘Green!’ ‘Red!’ ‘Look at the ones outside….’ Real apples are often a bit of a mixture and so our cotton wool painted apples are too.

Paper Plate Apple Materials:

• Paper plates
• Cotton wool
• Clothes pegs
• Paint in red and green
• Green card of craft foam
• Scissors
• Glue

Paper Plate Apple Tutorial

We actually had way more shades of red and green paint a couple of weeks ago but there was a slight incident where we left the three year old alone for a few minutes and she really does have a creative soul you know? Ahem. So for this we used normal red and bright green paints but the dark green one is actually Annie Sloan paint.

Clothes pegs are a great way to paint with kids because as well as adding a bit of difference to the activity they’re also great for building fine motor skills. Use the clothes pegs  to grab onto a bit of cotton wool and then dab it into the paint before dabbing it onto your paper plate.

We used a paper plate to put the paints onto as it means they’re easier for the kids to put their cotton wool into the paint and also you can clean up super quickly afterwards. We made loads of apples, some with a few coloured splodges, some with loads and some, of course, with the colours all mixed together.

When you’re all happy with your paper plates leave them to dry and then cut out leaves for your apples from craft foam or card and glue them on.

More Easy Apple Crafts for Kids

Apple crafts are perfect for autumn or if you’re looking at a fruit topic with your child. All of these activities are really easy and so are great for younger kids too.

• Pom pom apple tree
• Apple themed writing tray
• Cotton bud apple tree craft