Paper Plate Snail Craft
Bring some slow-and-steady charm to craft time with this adorable snail paper plate craft that kids will love making and showing off.
This snail craft is a fun, colorful, and creative way for kids to explore nature-themed art. Using simple materials and a free printable pattern, kids can create a cheerful snail with a bright shell and a friendly face. The rounded paper plate makes the perfect base for the shell, while playful details like wiggle eyes and pom poms give the project personality.
Preschoolers, early elementary students, and even older kids will enjoy making this craft. Younger children will love painting the shell and gluing on colorful decorations, while older kids can get creative with patterns, colors, and extra details. It’s a great hands-on activity that encourages imagination, creativity, and fine motor skills.
This craft is perfect for springtime when snails start appearing in gardens, or as part of a nature or insect unit study. It’s also a fun choice for a rainy-day art project, a summer camp craft, or a garden-themed party activity. You could even pair it with a favorite snail-themed storybook for a cozy afternoon of reading and crafting.
You’ll love this snail paper plate craft because it’s budget-friendly, adaptable for all ages, and allows for endless color combinations and designs. With the free template included, setup is simple—just print, cut, and get started. Kids will be excited to watch their snail come to life as they add their own creative touches.
Tips for making the craft:
- Instead of craft paint, you can use markers or crayons to color the snail’s shell.
- Don’t have wiggle eyes? Draw eyes with a marker or cut them from paper.
- Swap out chenille stems for strips of craft paper or pipe cleaners wrapped in yarn for the snail’s antennae.
- No pom poms? Use buttons, stickers, or rolled-up bits of tissue paper for decoration.
- For quicker assembly, use a glue gun, but craft glue works great for a kid-safe option.
Now that you know how easy and fun this snail craft is, gather your supplies and follow the tutorial below. The printable pattern makes creating the pieces simple, so even beginner crafters can get great results.
Paper Plate Snail Craft
Materials:
- Paper Plate
- Wiggle Eyes
- Chenille Stem – We Used Pink
- Pom Poms
- Craft Paint – We Used Bright Green & Pink
- Cardstock or Craft Paper – We Used Purple
- Craft Glue or a Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
- Pencil with new eraser
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Black Marker
- Printed Paper Plate Snail Pattern
Instructions:
Paint the inside of the paper plate with craft paint. We used bright green paint. Set aside to dry and apply a second coat, if necessary.
Download and print the Snail Pattern, then cut out with scissors.
Trace the body onto the craft paper (we used purple).
Cut out the body pattern with scissors.
Attach pom poms in assorted colors along the swirl body of the snail using glue.
Attach two wiggle eyes to the snail’s face with glue. Create cheeks by dipping a new pencil eraser into pink craft paint and stamping on either side of the face.
Cut the chenille stem in half with scissors. Bend in half, then attach a pom pom to each end to create antennae. Attach the antennae to the back of the snails head with glue.
Attach the snail’s swirl body to the painted paper plate shell with glue.
Trim the paper plate at the bottom of the snail’s body with scissors.
To finish, draw a smile with a black marker from cheek to cheek to create the snail’s mouth.
This paper plate craft is a charming addition to any nature or garden-themed activity. With its cheerful design and endless customization options, it’s sure to be a hit with kids who love to create.
