Paper Plate Treasure Chest - Pirate Craft

Bury your boredom and dig up some fun with this paper plate pirate treasure chest craft!

This quick and easy pirate craft for kids is perfect for treasure-loving little pirates of all ages. With just a paper plate, paint, and craft paper, kids can create their own chest filled with gold, jewels, and other pirate loot. The simple design makes it easy to assemble, and the best part is decorating the inside with colorful “treasures.”

Once the chest is made, it’s ready for hours of pretend play as part of exciting pirate adventures. For even more swashbuckling activities, be sure to check out these other creative pirate crafts for kids.

This paper plate craft is ideal for parents looking for an easy rainy-day project, teachers planning a pirate-themed classroom lesson, or camp leaders adding some imaginative fun to the schedule. It’s also a great way for grandparents, babysitters, or librarians to keep kids happily engaged. The finished treasure chests can be displayed as part of a pirate scene, used as party decorations, or kept for storytelling play.

When to make this craft:

Pirate themed birthday party – Kids can create their own treasure chests as a party activity, then fill them with candy or trinkets to take home.
Library craft – Pair this craft with a fun pirate story, letting kids make their own chest of treasures afterward.
Classroom craft – Perfect for pairing with pirate-themed reading, history lessons, or creative writing activities about treasure hunts.
Talk Like a Pirate Day – A great way to celebrate by crafting a chest full of treasures while speaking in pirate lingo.
Summer camp – Fun for a themed day or as part of a treasure hunt game where kids hide and find each other’s “loot.”

Why You’ll Love this Pirate Craft

This project combines the joy of a paper plate craft with the excitement of discovering and keeping treasures. It’s simple, budget-friendly, and easy for kids to personalize with their favorite colors and designs. It encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and imaginative storytelling once the craft is complete.

Ready to get started? Grab your paper plate, paint, and craft paper, then follow the step-by-step directions below to make your very own pirate treasure chest.

Materials:

Two Paper Plates
Rhinestones
Craft Paint – Brown, Black, & Yellow
Cardstock or Colored Craft Papers– Light Yellow, Bright Yellow, & Golden Yellow
Craft Glue or a Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Double-Sided Foam Adhesive Tape or Dots
Paintbrush
Scissors
Black Marker
Pencil with new eraser
Printed Paper Plate Pirate Treasure Chest Pattern

Instructions:

Paint the outside of one paper plate and the inside of one paper plate with brown craft paint. Set aside to dry and apply a second coat, if necessary.
*For less mess color the paper plate with crayon or markers rather than painting it.

Download and print the Pirate Treasure Chest Patterns, then cut out with scissors.

Trace the chest pattern onto both of the brown paper plates with a pencil, then cut out with scissors.

Fold the paper plate that is painted brown on the outside in half, score firmly, then cut out with scissors.

Trace the treasure onto golden yellow cardstock, trace the coins onto light yellow cardstock, trace the coins and lock onto bright yellow cardstock.
*You could also use colored craft foam or craft felt for this project.

Cut out the pirate treasure pieces with scissors.

Paint one stripe around the top edge of the whole paper plate, and two stripes on the left and right sides of the half paper plate with black craft paint. Let paint dry.

Attach the treasure to the whole paper plate with glue.

*We used a glue gun and glue sticks for this tutorial, but you can use liquid craft glue for this project.

Attach the front of the treasure chest to the back of the treasure chest with glue.

Using double sided foam adhesive tape or dots attach the light yellow coins and the bright yellow coins to the treasure. This gives some dimension to the craft. You can simply glue the coins on if you prefer.

Overlap, attach to the front edge, and double up of the adhesive foam to create dimension. Leave four open for rhinestones or other decoration.

Add some decoration to the pirate treasure. We attached four large round self-adhesive rhinestones to the treasure.
Get creative with the treasure! Try rhinestones, sequins, pom pom or glitter!

To create rivets, dip a new pencil eraser into yellow craft paint and stamp along the two black stripes on the front of the treasure chest. Let paint dry.

To finish, draw a keyhole onto the bright yellow lock with a black marker, then glue onto the front of the treasure chest.

Whether for a party, classroom, or just a creative afternoon at home, this paper plate pirate treasure chest craft is sure to delight young adventurers. With simple supplies and plenty of decorating possibilities, it’s an engaging way to spark imagination and bring a little pirate magic into the day.

More pirate craft ideas you might enjoy:

Pirate Paper Plate Craft – A fun way to make a paper plate into a pirate character.
DIY Rocking Pirate Ship Craft – Build a ship that rocks on the waves for even more pretend play fun.
Printable Pirate Finger Puppets – Create your own pirate crew for storytelling adventures.
Pirate Puppet Craft for Kids – Make pirate characters to join in your treasure hunts and playtime scenes.