Spring brings chirping birds, blooming flowers, and the perfect excuse to break out the craft supplies. If you want a fun, hands-on activity to celebrate the changing seasons with your kids, this paper plate bird nest craft is a fantastic choice.
This simple project uses basic materials you likely already have at home or in your classroom. It helps little ones practice fine motor skills through cutting and pasting while sparking conversations about nature. You will walk away with an adorable piece of springtime art to display on your fridge or bulletin board.
Ready to get crafty? Let’s dive into the steps!
Craft Supplies:
Before you start, gather your crafting supplies. You can easily substitute items based on what you have sitting in your craft bin.
Here is your materials list:
- White paper plates (fluted edges work great)
- Brown paper bags or brown construction paper
- Washable school glue
- Kid-safe scissors
- Colorful cardstock or construction paper (for the bird)
- Googly eyes
- Orange paper scraps (for the beak and feet)
Directions:
This craft is incredibly forgiving, making it perfect for toddlers and elementary students alike. Follow these simple steps to build your nest.
1. Prep the Nest Materials
Start by letting the kids cut the brown paper bags or brown construction paper into small, rectangular strips. These strips will act as the twigs and mud that make up the bird’s nest. Cutting the paper provides excellent scissor practice for little hands.
2. Build the Bird Nest
Take your paper plate and apply a generous amount of washable school glue to the bottom half. Have the children press their brown paper strips into the glue. They can overlap the pieces and arrange them haphazardly to create a natural, textured nest look. Let this dry slightly before moving on.
3. Create Your Little Bird
While the nest dries, it is time to make the bird! Trace your child’s hand on a piece of brightly colored cardstock (yellow, purple, or blue look wonderful). Cut out the handprint. The palm will become the bird’s body, and the fingers will fan out to look like feathers.
4. Bring the Bird to Life
Grab your glue again and attach two googly eyes near the top of the handprint. Cut a small triangle from your orange paper scrap and glue it just below the eyes for a beak. You can also cut out two small webbed feet and attach them to the bottom of the palm.
5. Put the Bird in Its Nest
Finally, apply glue to the back of your handprint bird. Press the bird firmly onto the top half of the paper plate, tucking the bottom of the bird slightly behind the brown paper strips. This makes it look like the chick is sitting snugly inside its nest.
Tips for Customizing Your Craft
You can easily adapt this project to fit different ages or themes. Try these fun variations:
- Add real feathers: Stick a few craft feathers behind the handprint to give your bird extra texture.
- Make speckled eggs: Instead of a handprint bird, have kids cut out oval shapes from pastel paper. Use markers to draw speckles on them, and glue a clutch of eggs into the nest.
- Go wild with colors: Birds come in all shapes and colors. Encourage kids to pick their favorite bright colors or use patterned scrap paper for their handprints.
RELATED —> Torn Paper Bird Nest Craft for Kids
This paper plate bird nest craft offers a wonderful way to spend an afternoon connecting with your kids or students. It celebrates the beauty of spring and gives children a proud sense of accomplishment when they see their finished artwork.
We would love to see how your beautiful bird nests turned out! Snap a picture of your finished crafts and share them with us on social media. Happy crafting!
Easy Paper Plate Bird Nest Craft for Spring
Here’s your checklist of supplies to bring this craft to life:
- Large Paper Plate
- Cardstock Paper
- Embellishments
Prepare your creative haven by laying down a protective cover before the crafting magic begins!
Directions:
- Prep the Nest Materials- Start by letting the kids cut the brown paper bags or brown construction paper into small, rectangular strips. These strips will act as the twigs and mud that make up the bird's nest. Cutting the paper provides excellent scissor practice for little hands.
- Build the Bird Nest - Take your paper plate and apply a generous amount of washable school glue to the bottom half. Have the children press their brown paper strips into the glue. They can overlap the pieces and arrange them haphazardly to create a natural, textured nest look. Let this dry slightly before moving on.
- Create Your Little Bird - While the nest dries, it is time to make the bird! Trace your child's hand on a piece of brightly colored cardstock (yellow, purple, or blue look wonderful). Cut out the handprint. The palm will become the bird's body, and the fingers will fan out to look like feathers.
- Bring the Bird to Life - Grab your glue again and attach two googly eyes near the top of the handprint. Cut a small triangle from your orange paper scrap and glue it just below the eyes for a beak. You can also cut out two small webbed feet and attach them to the bottom of the palm.
- Put the Bird in Its Nest - Finally, apply glue to the back of your handprint bird. Press the bird firmly onto the top half of the paper plate, tucking the bottom of the bird slightly behind the brown paper strips. This makes it look like the chick is sitting snugly inside its nest.
CLICK HERE TO PRINT THE DIRECTIONS FOR THIS CRAFT