Easy Paper Plate Eagle Craft
DIY a Paper Plate Bald Eagle
Eagles are interesting! Most people in the United States know quite a bit about the Bald Eagle but there are almost 70 species of eagles worldwide, with only 2 species living in North America… the Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle. And while eagles aren’t cuddly, many kids are fascinated by them. So, with the 4th of July approaching, I thought it would be fun to make an easy paper plate eagle craft!
Paper plates are lifesavers! They are thick enough to stop most markers from bleeding through, they are already round for so many projects, they are sturdy, they make great masks and wreaths, they are easy to cut, and they are cheap! Anyone not sure what to do with kids can be sure that if they have a stack of paper plates and markers… fun will be had!
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What You’ll Need
Making this paper plate eagle craft is a pretty easy and you won’t need many items that you probably don’t already have. You will need…
- paper plate
- markers (or other coloring tools) in yellow and brown (and black if you are going to draw the eyes)
- glue or glue stick
- scissors
- paper (or use another paper plate)
- googly eyes (or draw eyes)
The different species of eagles have various shades of muted feathers, not all eagles are brown, however, mature Bald Eagles are typically brown and white. Coloring the beak yellow, the only colors really needed for this craft are brown and yellow, though, feel free to explore. The 4th of July could be a fun time to make a flag themed eagle!
The markers we use are alcohol markers and they are vibrant. You can see some options here for markers, there are different-sized sets. We bought these markers and they have worked great. I will say that they are often shown being stored up and down but they should be stored horizontally. I also purchased this holder for the markers. If you have real little ones washable markers might be ideal but even when my kids were younger they liked the alcohol markers best. If you do go with washable, I would say that Crayola Washable Markers are great!
Eagle Instructions
- Cut a paper plate in half
- Color one half of the paper plate brown and leave the other half white. This is to make a traditional Bald Eagle and even some other eagles have white feathers, however, if you are having your kiddos explore with their imaginations, then let them color the white side too!
- Glue the brown side to the white side but leave some of the white showing. Set aside and begin working on the head.
- Use a second paper plate, which will be sturdier than paper, to cut the shape above. If you don’t have a second paper plate, use paper, cardstock, or even white construction paper. This is for the white, bald head.
- Glue the head to the back of the eagle.
- Use the extra paper or paper plate to cut a small triangle and color it yellow. This is a great time for kids to practice their shapes! Then, glue it on to the back of the head. Next, have kiddos glue on eyes or simply draw on eyes, like I have done here.
- Enjoy your Bald Eagle!
Learning More About Eagles
The Bald Eagle is known as a Sea Eagle or Fish Eagle because it prefers to eat fish and lives close to water. Though most of us think of the “bald” spot on a Bald Eagle, it can take 5 years for a Bald Eagle’s head to get completely white.
Bald Eagles were once considered a highly vulnerable species due to human poaching and a chemical called DDT, which poisoned the eagles and caused their eggs to become fragile. As poaching continued and less eagles were able to hatch, the Bald Eagle species became close to extinction in the 1970s and 1980s. However, through changes in chemical usage and laws restricting the harm of the Bald Eagle, today they are thriving and considered a least vulnerable species.
Growing up in the 80s, I remember the dire prognosis for the Bald Eagle, I really thought that the species would go extinct in my lifetime, however, we see them all the time today! Living in the Midwest, we see them flying around fields, nesting along the side of rivers, we even see them while driving around town.
See Some Live Eagles
Our family has taken to putting on different live cams from time to time, mostly of animals. One of our favorites is of a pair of Bald Eagles in California. There are times I will put the cam on our TV in the living room, while having morning coffee, and I will leave it on all day. The family will go about our daily routine but during the day everyone checks on the cam, comments on what’s been going on, and even my husband gets involved when he comes home.
Jackie and Shadow are eagles that live in Big Bear Valley and they have become almost like our homeschool mascots! You can check out their live cam here. There are many eagle cams and we watch a few, but the view at Big Bear Valley is hard to beat. If you have a child interested in eagles, I would check out the cam… you might enjoy it too!
Enjoy Your Crafting!
Whether it was to learn more about Bald Eagles, celebrate U.S. Independence Day, or to commemorate American Eagle Day (June 20th), if you or your kiddos make this paper plate eagle craft, I would love to hear what you think!
Comment below or head over to Instagram or Facebook. When you share pics to your socials, mention or tag me @bemandfam… I’d love to see them, especially any that are 4th of July themed! I have thought about making one of my own to show as an example… if I do, I will update this post!
Don’t forget to pin this for later and if you like Pinterest, I am there too!
Happy Crafting!
BEM and Fam 🙂 
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