Fine Motor Paper Plate Scarecrow Craft for Preschoolers

Create this simple paper plate scarecrow for a cute fall craft for kids. With these step-by-step instructions, this scarecrow craft is so easy to make.

This fun and adorable fall craft will help your preschoolers work their fine motor skills as they lace the scarecrow’s mouth and flower. They’re going to love putting this scarecrow craft on display all season long.

Older preschoolers and kindergarteners can likely do this craft on their own. Younger preschoolers will likely need your help prepping this craft.

This cute scarecrow craft calls for craft supplies you’ve likely got stashed in your craft closet already. So, let’s get started!

Paper Plate Scarecrow Craft

Scour your craft closet and gather the supplies you’ll need to set up this autumn craft for your tots, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. If you need to order a few things, you can do so by clicking the Amazon links below.

What You’ll Need

• Paper: pink, orange/brown, green, and yellow

• Paper plate

• Scissors

• Hole punch

• Glue

• Crayons: yellow and brown

• Big google eyes

• Dark brown yarn

What You’ll Do

To start this craft, the first thing your kids will do is color (or paint) the paper plate yellow. Coloring will help build the muscles in their hand and arm, but painting will go a lot faster. The choice is up to you.

Next, make a hat and triangle nose out of orange paper. Older kids can do this on their own if you draw a simple pattern for them to cut out. Precut pieces may work better for you younger preschoolers.

Glue some strands of brown yarn to the top of the plate. This will be the scarecrow’s hair. I would cut the strands a little longer to start, and then trim them after gluing the hat on.

Now, attach the hat and nose to the paper plate along with some google eyes. Now, your scarecrow’s face is complete.

Next, let’s decorate the scarecrow’s hat with a sunflower. Start off by cutting out a square from the yellow paper. Fold it in half twice, and draw a scallop pattern across one corner. Cut it out, and unfold to reveal the flower.

Now, punch holes along the edge of the flower. Weave the brown yarn through the holes creating the “seeds” of the sunflower.

Tie the loose ends to the back of the flower, and glue it to the hat. Cut and glue two leaves from the green paper to finish the flower.

Now it’s time to finish the scarecrow’s face. Cut the paper plate as shown below… notch in at both sides, and create a half circle (smile) in the center.

Using the brown crayon, make dots along the edge of the top and bottom mouth pieces. Hole punch at each dot mark.

Weave the yarn through the holes from top to bottom and back up again. This will create the scarecrow’s smile. Tie the loose ends of the yard with neighboring stitches on the backside of the plate.

To finish your scarecrow craft, cut two pink circles and glue them to the top part of the plate for cheeks. Be sure not to put glue on the bottom part of the cheeks so the bottom piece can move freely.

Yay! Now, your paper plate scarecrow craft is ready to adorn your walls!

Fun Scarecrow Books for Preschoolers

Fill your book basket with a great collection of books about scarecrows. Most of these books can be found at your local library or used bookstore.

If you have a hard time finding them, you can order them through my Amazon affiliate links by clicking the images below.

The Scarecrow’s Hat – Chicken really admires Scarecrow’s hat. Scarecrow would gladly trade his hat for a walking stick to rest his tired arms. Chicken doesn’t have a walking stick to trade―but she knows someone who does. This begins her quest to find items to trade among her farm friends, all to obtain a walking stick to swap for Scarecrow’s hat. But why does Chicken want an old straw hat?

Scarecrow – Scarecrows. They perch high above gardens and fields, with borrowed coats and button eyes and pie-pan hands that glint in the sun. What else is there to know about them? Perhaps more than we realize.

Otis and the Scarecrow – On the farm where Otis the tractor lives, the farmer has introduced someone new—a scarecrow to shoo away the pesky crows. But when Otis and the animals greet the scarecrow with friendly smiles, the scarecrow’s frown never leaves his face. So everyone leaves him alone.

ROUND OUT YOUR SCARECROW UNIT WITH THESE ACTIVITIES

When you add a scarecrow pretend mask to your dress-up box, your kids will spend hours acting out their favorite scarecrow stories.

If you’re short on time and still want to provide some craft time for your preschoolers, you could give them this scarecrow craft kit complete with glue and pre-cut shapes.

Are you looking for a fun way to work on letter recognition and CVC words this fall? Add these scarecrow-themed CVC word mats are just what you need!

This engaging beginning sounds scarecrow activity will get your preschoolers motivated to learn their sounds and letters.