Making a rainbow craft is a great activity if you’re looking for a fun way to celebrate Spring, for St. Patrick’s Day, learning about colors or weather or even if your kiddo just read about Noah’s Ark at Sunday School.

Paper plate crafts are some of my favorites because of how simple and versatile they are. They’re affordable too because you typically have all the supplies on hand or can easily grab them at the grocery store.

Rainbow craft made from a paper plate and scraps of paper in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Next to the craft is a bottle of glue , red and blue paint brushes and green kids scissors. Another paper plate rainbow is shown with painted stripes on it and cotton balls glued to the bottom.

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Why kids love paper plate crafts

Easy to find supplies are everything! Easy to find, easy to make, easy on parents and easy for kids.
The best kind of kids projects are things you already have in your home, or can easily grab on your next grocery store trip.
If you mess up it’s very easy and poosible to start over.

Supplies for your Paper Plate Rainbow

Paper plates
Scissors (remember to do the cutting if your child isn’t ready to yet.)
Cotton balls– I love the jumbo size!
Construction paper scraps or paint
School glue

Paper plate with edge cut off and cotton balls glued to it. Next to the craft is a bottle of glue , red and blue paint brushes and green kids scissors.

Make Your Rainbow Craft

Start by trimming the bottom of your paper plate. You could also cut it in half and have smaller arches.
Glue on your cotton ball clouds. This is a great time to talk about weather with your kiddos!

Paper plate with cotton balls glued onto the bottom and red paper glued around the top edge. Next to the plate is a bottle of glue and a pair of green kids scissors.

Cut or tear your construction paper- this is a great way to use your scraps! If you’re making this with a younger child who can’t cut with scissors yet, it may be helpful to prep the paper pieces for the mane in advance.
Start glueing on each piece in the colors of the rainbow. A dot of glue works or use a glue stick if that’s easier for the age of the child you’re crafting with.
Alternately, if you’re painting the craft, I like to use one brush per color for efficiency, and to help little hands stay interested. Paint your arches and allow to dry!
There’s a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song that always gets stuck in my head- ‘Red, orange, yellow, green, blue… don’t forget purple too.’ Any way you remember it, you can teach kids the colors and order of colors of the rainbow with this craft!

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Cost 2

Yield 1 rainbow

Prep 10

Cook 10

Supplies

▢ 1 single paper plate
▢ 6 pieces construction paper (in red, orange, yellow, green. blue and purple)
▢ paint (optional) (in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple)
▢ 1 bottle glue stick
▢ 6-8 Cotton balls

Instructions

Start by trimming the bottom of your paper plate. You could also cut it in half and have smaller arches.
Glue on your cotton ball clouds.
Cut or tear your construction paper- this is a great way to use your scraps! If you’re making this with a younger child who can’t cut with scissors yet, it may be helpful to prep the paper pieces for the mane in advance.
Start glueing on each piece in the colors of the rainbow. A dot of glue works or use a glue stick if that's easier for the age of the child you're crafting with.
Alternately, if you're painting the craft, I like to use one brush per color for efficiency, and to help little hands stay interested.
Paint your arches and allow to dry!

Equipment

1 pair of scissors

1 paintbrush optional

Paper Plate Rainbow Craft