Everyone has heard of “Cat in the Hat” right? If you have young children I bet at some point their school has celebrated Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2nd. What better way to celebrate than with a fun paper plate cat craft and hat puppet! This activity offers a cute craft and hands-on experience for children as they bring to life these timeless books. This is even fun for older children as well. Using paper plates, paint or markers, and a few additional supplies, children can create their very own hat craft. It’s also a great way to hone in on those fine motor skills.
Also make sure to check out more fun ideas over on our Dr. Seuss crafts for toddlers post! Or maybe you are interested in other paper plate crafts like this Paper Plate Mermaid printable or this Paper Plate Unicorn. We’ve also got a Paper Plate Pumpkin Mask for an Easy Halloween Craft and a Paper Plate Craft with a ‘Thankful For’ Wheel for Thanksgiving.
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Cat in the Hat Paper Plate Craft
The Cat in the Hat paper plate craft is a creative activity in honor of Dr Seuss. It is designed to engage children in a hands-on project that celebrates a beloved literary character with dr. Seuss books. By the way, if you are discouraged about your child reading, check out this helpful guide on how to help a struggling reader at home.
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Materials Needed
- Paper Plates: Ideally, sturdy white ones.
- Paint pens or markers: Black and red washable
- Paintbrushes: Various sizes for painting details.
- Glue: Non-toxic white glue or a glue stick.
- Scissors: For cutting paper and felt.
- Construction Paper or card stock: Black, red, and white.
- Pencil: To sketch designs before painting or cutting.
Preparation Steps
Template Creation
The first step is hat template creation. Templates should be proportionate to the size of the paper plates being used. Since we are making this an easy craft for younger kids, all they need to know how to draw is a rectangle!
Crafting Instructions
The Cat in the Hat paper plate craft involves cutting card stock, painting or coloring and gluing it all together to create a playful representation of the classic character.
Cutting and Shaping
First, grab a paper plate for the face of the Cat. The simplest way to create the Cat’s face is to use a black marker to draw it on. You can also use the black card stock and cut out the eyes, nose and mouth. We also chose to color the perimeter of the paper plate in black to outline his face.
For the hat, cut out two rectangles (shown below) out of white card stock and glue them together.
For the stripes of red paper, either draw red lines on white card stock or cut out vertical stripes on the red card stock. We drew red lines on white paper and cut out each red stripe to glue on the white hat.
For the ears, cut out 2 small triangles out of black card stock. Glue them onto the top of the paper plate.
For the whiskers, cut out thin strips of black card stock. We cut out two whiskers per side, but feel free to make as many whiskers as you want.
Assembling Elements
Now it’s time to assemble the Cat’s hat by gluing the striped hat piece onto the paper plate (or cat’s face).
If desired, additional decorations like a bow tie can be made from construction paper and added to enhance the craft’s appearance.
Isn’t he cute? This is such a simple craft to do at home or at school that goes along well with your favorite Dr Seuss Book.
Variations and Creative Ideas
Exploring the realm of creativity with the Cat in the Hat paper plate craft allows for numerous possibilities. You can also celebrate Dr Seuss’ birthday with other simple crafts below.
Alternative Designs
Striped Hat: One can easily alter the pattern of the Cat’s famous hat. Instead of the classic red and white stripes, they might use:
- Multicolored stripes.
- Polka dots.
- Patterned washi tape.
Changing the facial expressions on the plate allows for:
- Happy: Craft a smiling Cat with crescent-shaped eyes.
- Pensive: A straight line for a mouth and half-closed eyes depict thoughtfulness.
Interactive Elements
Integrating interactive elements can broaden the experience of the craft:
- Movable Whiskers: Craft whiskers using pipe cleaners attached with brads, allowing them to be repositioned.
- Velcro Accessories: Items like bows or hats can attach with Velcro, enabling custom styling.
What do you think? I hope you found this simple craft easy enough for young kids but with enough variation ideas for older kids too. Enjoy your Dr. Seuss day!
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