Paper Plate Ocean Craft

2 min read September 13, 2026 Rachel Nipper
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Kids will love celebrating summer time by creating this easy ocean craft using paper plates. The colorful fish craft makes a great summer craft for children to make after a trip to a local aquarium where they can observe tropical fish and other ocean creatures. This easy paper plate craft is super simple for toddlers, preschoolers and kids of all ages to create. Be sure to checkout the video here on how to make the Paper Plate Ocean Craft. Use your extra tropical fish shapes to make this easy DIY summer matching game this summer too. You might also enjoy this colorful paint chip fish craft.

Project Time
20 to 30 min
Difficulty
Beginner
Step
1

Open your Elmer's® School Glue bottle and squirt glue along the bottom of the turquoise paper plate where you want to add your ocean sand floor.

Paper Plate Ocean Craft step 1
Step
2

Use a sponge paintbrush to evenly spread out the glue on the bottom of the paper plate.

Paper Plate Ocean Craft step 2
Step
3

Open the corner of the bag of white sand and carefully pour sand lightly over the glue on the bottom of the paper plate. Wait about one minute, then pour off any excess sand that did not adhere to the school glue.

Paper Plate Ocean Craft step 3 part 1
Paper Plate Ocean Craft step 3 part 2
Step
4

Cut out several long thin ocean plants from green adhesive foam sheets. Peel the backing off the ocean plants to reveal the sticky adhesive and place them on your paper plate ocean craft.

Paper Plate Ocean Craft step 4
Step
5

Choose several fish from your self-adhesive tropical fish shapes pack to use for your ocean craft. Peel the backing off on the back of the fish shapes and place them on your turquoise paper plate around the ocean plants. Use a mixture of big fish and small fish to fill your paper plate ocean.

Paper Plate Ocean Craft step 5
Step
6

Place large dots of Elmer's® school glue on your ocean sand at the bottom of your paper plate. Place small seashells on each dot of glue.

Paper Plate Ocean Craft step 6
Step
7

Allow the glue to dry completely on your paper plate ocean craft before handling it. Your finished craft is colorful and ready for putting on display all summer long.

Paper Plate Ocean Craft step 7 part 1
Paper Plate Ocean Craft step 7 part 2

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