Do you love learning about aliens, vast galaxies, and unidentified flying objects zooming through the night sky? If your little ones are fascinated by the mysteries of the cosmos, then you have landed in the right place! Get ready to blast off into a world of imagination with our Quirky Paper Plate UFO Craft for Kids.
This project is perfect for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and even older kids who love a bit of sci-fi fun. It’s easy, affordable, and uses materials you likely already have in your craft drawer. Whether you are a teacher planning a “Space Week” lesson or a parent looking for a rainy day activity, this flying saucer adventure is sure to be a hit.
With World UFO Day approaching on July 2nd, there is no better time to spark conversations about what lies beyond the stars. So, gather your supplies, summon your inner astronaut, and let’s build a spaceship!
Why UFOs Capture Our Imagination
Before we dive into the glue and glitter, let’s talk about why we love these mysterious flying machines. Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered if anyone was looking back?
In the past, people reported seeing strange, disc-shaped objects zipping through the clouds. These were popularly called “flying saucers” because they looked just like a tea saucer flying through the air! It wasn’t until 1952 that the United States Air Force officially coined the term ‘Unidentified Flying Object’ or UFO. They realized that if visitors from other planets were real, their ships could be any shape—triangles, cylinders, or spheres—not just saucers.
Today, UFOs are a staple of pop culture, representing curiosity, exploration, and the endless possibilities of the universe. This craft captures that sense of wonder in a simple, hands-on way.
Educational Benefits of This Craft
Crafting isn’t just about making something pretty; it’s a powerful developmental tool. This specific project helps with:
- Fine Motor Skills: Cutting along curved lines and gluing small pieces improves hand-eye coordination.
- Creativity: There are no rules in space! Kids can choose any color for their alien or ship.
- Storytelling: Once the craft is done, it becomes a toy. “Where is the alien going?” “What is its name?”
Supplies You Will Need
One of the best things about this craft is its simplicity. You don’t need expensive materials. Here is your checklist:
- Paper Plate: A standard 9-inch white paper plate works best. Avoid the glossy or wax-coated ones if possible, as paint sticks better to the matte paper ones.
- Acrylic Paint: Bright, bold colors are best. Metallic silver or gold looks great for a spaceship!
- Colored Craft Papers (Cardstock): You will need various colors for the alien, the cockpit glass, and the ship’s lights.
- Googly Eyes: The bigger, the better! Or use multiple small ones for a wacky alien look.
- Scissors: Child-safe scissors for the little ones.
- Craft Glue: A glue stick or standard white liquid glue.
- Pencil & Sharpies: For tracing templates and adding details.
- Paintbrush: A wide brush for the plate and a thin one for details.
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make a Paper Plate UFO
Ready to launch? Follow these simple steps to create your own fleet of alien spacecraft.
Step 1: Prepare the “Saucer”
The base of our UFO is the humble paper plate.
- Take your paper plate and cut it in half straight down the middle. You will only need one half for this craft (which means one plate makes two UFOs—perfect for siblings!).
- Choose your paint color. Classic silver or grey is great for a realistic look, but neon red, blue, or purple makes for a fun cartoon style.
- Paint the bottom side (the convex side) of the paper plate half. Make sure to cover the rim too.
- Pro Tip: If the paint looks streaky, let the first coat dry and apply a second one. Set it aside to dry completely.
Step 2: Create the Cockpit and Alien
While the paint is drying, let’s make our passenger.
- The Cockpit: Cut a semi-circle out of light blue or light grey paper. This represents the glass dome on top of the ship. It should be sized to fit nicely on the top curve of your paper plate.
- The Alien: This is where creativity shines! Draw a simple alien head shape on green (or purple, or polka-dotted!) paper. It can be oval, pear-shaped, or have antennae.
- The Face: Glue googly eyes onto your alien. Does it have one giant eye (Cyclops style) or three eyes? Use a black Sharpie to draw a smile and a nose.
Step 3: Assemble the Ship
Now that the paint is dry, it’s time to put it all together.
- Glue the alien’s head onto the flat bottom edge of the cockpit glass piece you cut earlier. It should look like the alien is peeking out from inside the window.
- Now, glue this entire cockpit-and-alien assembly onto the back of the paper plate (on the flat cut edge), so the dome sticks up above the curve of the saucer.
Step 4: Add the Details (The “Tech”)
A spaceship needs landing gear and lights!
- Lights: Cut out small circles from yellow or orange paper. Glue these along the curved rim of the paper plate. These are the spaceship’s flashing lights.
- Legs/Landing Gear: Cut out two or three rectangular or triangular strips from black or dark grey paper. Glue these to the bottom of the plate so the UFO can “stand” or “land” on a planet.
- Sparkle: If you have glitter glue or stickers, now is the time to add stars or shiny bolts to the hull of the ship.
Step 5: Final Touches
Use a Sharpie to add outlines to the alien or rivets to the ship’s metal. Let all the glue dry completely before playing.
Fun Variations to Try
Don’t stop at just one design! Here are some ways to mix it up:
- The Hanging Mobile: Punch a hole in the top of the glass dome, thread a string through, and hang several UFOs from the ceiling to create an alien invasion in your bedroom!
- The 3D UFO: Instead of cutting the plate in half, use two whole bowls glued rim-to-rim to make a 3D saucer.
- Glow in the Dark: Use glow-in-the-dark paint for the lights. It looks amazing when you turn off the lights at night!
Conversation Starters for Kids
While you are crafting, keep the conversation going with these fun questions:
- “If you met an alien, what would be the first thing you’d say to them?”
- “Do you think aliens eat pizza, or do they have their own space food?”
- “If we built a real spaceship, which planet should we visit first?”
Conclusion
And there you have it! A Quirky Paper Plate UFO that is ready to explore the galaxy (or at least the living room). This craft is a fantastic way to celebrate creativity and curiosity. It teaches children that with a little imagination, a simple paper plate can turn into a vessel for interstellar travel.
We hope you have a blast making this. Remember, the universe is vast, and creativity is infinite—so keep exploring!