Cat Paper Plate Craft with Moving Eyes (Free Template)

Get ready for some feline fun with this Paper Plate Cat Craft with Moving Eyes! The best part? When you move the popsicle stick, the cat’s eyes move from side to side, bringing your creation to life. Whether you’re making black cats for Halloween or designing colorful cats with your favorite shades, this craft is perfect for kids who love being creative.

You can use our free template and easy-to-follow instructions to create your own paper plate cat at home, in the classroom, or even at a crafting party!

Table Of Contents:

Materials

Green, pink and black colored paper
Popsicle stick or craft stick
Glue
Template
Paper plate
Paintbrush
Paint (pink and brown or black)

Instructions

Step 1)

Your first step is to paint a paper plate so it will have time to dry before you glue pieces to it. You can use black paint or keep the plate mostly white with brown stripes. You can make your cat any color you like!

Cut a slit in the middle of the paper plate for the mouth and cut two circles for the eyes.

Step 2)

Print out the template and cut out the pieces. Next, trace them onto colored paper. The largest triangles should be traced onto black and the medium triangles onto pink for the inner ear. The smallest triangle should also be pink for the nose. There are two sets of circles; leave the large circles white and the smaller circles should be green. Then make two black slits for the pupils. You can also use a black marker to make black pupils on the cat’s green eyes.

Step 3)

Glue the template pieces together like you see in the photos below.

Step 4)

Paint a popsicle stick or craft stick pink for the cat’s tongue. Glue the stick onto a strip of construction paper that will fit the length between the cats eyes you cut out. Then glue your cat eyes to the construction paper.

Step 5)

Glue the cat ears to the top of the paper plate and the nose to the middle of the paper plate above the mouth. Cut 6 small strips of white paper and glue three to each side of the cat’s face as the cat’s whiskers.

Step 6)

Slide the popsicle stick in from the back of the paper plate so the eyes look through the hole in the paper plate. When you make the stick move, the eyes will move too!

Video Instructions

Prefer video instructions for your crafts? Subscribe to the YouTube channel for Crafty Kids Play and watch the full video of this cat paper plate craft here.

Cat Template Download

You can print this cat craft template on regular white printer paper. If your children are very young and have a hard time cutting out the little details, you may want to cut out the template pieces with or for them. Young kids should be supervised by an adult during craft time, especially while handling safety scissors.

This template is only for you to use, not for resale or commercial use; if you want to share this template with a friend, please send them the link to this article instead of sharing the template directly.

cat template Download

Tips & Troubleshooting

Cutting the Eyes and Mouth

Cutting slits in the paper plate can be tricky for little hands. Try folding the plate in half to make clean, precise cuts. If your child is young or struggles with scissors, pre-cut the slits to avoid frustration.

Glue Problems

For faster drying, use a glue stick or double-sided tape on the smaller pieces like the nose and whiskers. Liquid glue might make the paper pieces warp or slide.

Whisker Placement

If your kids are having a hard time placing the whiskers symmetrically, you can lightly draw a guide with a pencil for them to follow. This helps give the cat’s face a balanced look without the child becoming frustrated.

Variation Ideas

Add Accessories:

You can glue a small bow at the top of the cat’s head or attach a mini collar made from ribbon or paper. Get creative by adding sunglasses, hats, or even a superhero cape to your cat!

Different Cat Breeds:

Instead of making a standard black or brown cat, encourage your kids to replicate their favorite cat breed. They can add spots for a calico cat, stripes for a tabby, or even create a fluffy Persian cat by gluing cotton balls or pieces of yarn to the paper plate.

Traditional Colors:

If they want to go for a more realistic look, suggest using black, white, gray, or brown paint. They can also mix and match, like painting the ears black and the face white for a tuxedo cat.

Rainbow Cats:

For a more playful design, they can choose their favorite bright colors—pink, purple, blue, or even rainbow stripes! They can also add glitter or metallic paint to make their cat extra special.

Benefits of This Cat Craft For Kids

Fine Motor Skills:

From cutting out the template pieces to gluing on small details like whiskers and eyes, this craft helps kids practice their fine motor skills while having so much fun. Using scissors and applying glue carefully helps young children build hand-eye coordination and precision.

Creativity and Self-Expression:

Allowing kids to choose their cat’s colors, patterns, and accessories gives them the freedom to express their creativity with this fun paper plate craft. It encourages them to think outside the box and make design choices that reflect their unique preferences. Make a tabby cat or a different cat breed for fun!

Problem-Solving:

If kids run into challenges—like getting the eyes to move smoothly or placing the whiskers symmetrically—they’ll have opportunities to troubleshoot and think critically. This teaches resilience and helps them develop a problem-solving mindset.

Imaginative Play:

Once your black cat craft is complete, it can become a character in your child’s imaginative play. Whether it’s used as a puppet or decoration, this craft can spark storytelling and pretend play, boosting creative thinking.

Final Thoughts

Your Paper Plate Cat Craft with Moving Eyes is a purr-fect way to bring out creativity and have some Halloween fun, or make them any time of the year! Whether you made a cute and spooky black cat or a colorful, one-of-a-kind kitty, the interactive moving eyes add an extra playful touch!

Stick around Crafty Kids Play for more awesome paper plate crafts, free printables, and tons of fun activities for kids of all ages! We’ve got everything you need to keep the creativity flowing and the smiles growing. Happy crafting!