How to make paper plate chicks

It's amazing what a paper plate and some imagination can do when it comes to Easter crafts. Pre-schoolers will love making our funky rockin' robins and it's the perfect activity for those long holiday afternoons.

Let them choose their own colours and have fun getting messy. We've found a plastic table cloth to be a god send for crafting with our little ones but if you don't have one just make sure to cover your table top – trust us, you're going to want to. Newspaper works just as well here if you don't have a plastic table cloth.

Once they've made their very own paper plate pal they'll be proud as punch and they'll (hopefully) happily play with them all afternoon, once they're dry. We actually keep a stack of paper plates in our craft cupboard ready for makes just like this one when we're stuck for something to do with the kids.

You will need

• White paper plates
• Bright paint
• Paint brush
• Scrap pieces of orange and yellow paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Bright feathers
• Chenille stems
• Large wiggle eyes

Step 1

Paint the paper plates in bright colours and leave to dry fully.

Step 2

Take a scrap piece of orange or yellow paper and fold in half. Cut a triangular 'beak' into it with the folded edge on one of the sides, making sure you don't cut through your joined edge.

Step 3

Then fold one of your painted plates in half. Stick the folded beak to one curved side, where you think your bird's mouth should go.

Step 4

Paint some glue on both sides of the bird, and stick some bright feathers in place for its wings – because otherwise it obviously wouldn't be able to fly!

Step 5

Cut four different colour chenille stems into small pieces and stick them just inside the top fold of the back of the bird with glue for its fancy tail.

Step 6

Finish off with a wiggle eye by sticking it to the bird's face.

Craft: by Suzie Attaway