DIY Fish Banner Craft | GlueStick

Brighten any space with a charming school of fish banner. This DIY craft uses paper plates and other basic supplies to create a fun decoration for a kid's room, homework nook, classroom, or party.

25-45 minutes Ages 4-12 2 steps may need help

About This Project

A 25–45 minutes craft for ages 4–12, using supplies you likely already have — Yarn, Hole Punches, and Tape.

GlueStick supports kids from setup to cleanup. After they choose a project, we guide them through gathering the supplies, making it, and cleaning up when they're done. We'll even help them share it safely with trusted family and friends.

Ad-free and kid-safe library — designed by a mom who wants kids to explore and create independently.

This project is perfect for:

paper plate crafts
ocean-themed decor
classroom decoration
party decoration
fine motor skill practice

Step 1: Cut out the fish body and tail from paper plates.

May need grown-up help

Take one paper plate. Make two cuts on the plate, about 3 to 4 inches apart. Angle these cuts a little bit towards each other. This will make the tail of your fish. Next, fold down the parts of the plate on each side of the cuts you just made.

Step 2: Trim off the fins

Ask an adult to help you trim away these folded parts with scissors. Put these trimmed pieces aside, you will need them later. Smooth the edges of your fish body, making the corners a little round. Repeat this for as many fish as you want for your banner. The example banner has six fish.

Step 3: Paint your fish bodies with fun colors.

May need grown-up help

Lay newspaper on your work area to keep it clean. Place one of your fish shapes on the newspaper. Squeeze a little bit of paint onto the fish. If you don't have a paint brush, try pinching a pompom with a clothespin to make a 'paintbrush'. Use this pompom brush to paint your first fish. Paint on the bottom, matte side of the paper plate. Set the painted fish aside to dry. Choose a different color of paint and repeat this for all your other fish. Tip! Remember to move the fish on the newspaper a few times while it dries so it doesn't stick.

Step 4: Add fins to your fish.

While your painted fish are drying, let's make the fins. Take one of the paper plate scraps you saved from Step 1. Round off one of its sharp corners, but keep the other end pointy. This will be a fin for your fish. Think about which way your fish will swim; fish of the same color can swim in the same direction, and a different colored fish can swim the other way. Cover the outside of the paper plate scrap with washi tape that matches your fish's paint color. Trim any extra tape around the edges. Attach the fin to your fish using a couple of small rolls of scotch tape. Glue might not stick well because of the plate's curves.

Step 5: Add a googly eye

Once the paint on your fish is dry, glue a large googly eye onto each fish with your glue stick.

Step 6: Connect your fish to make a banner.

Now that your fish are ready, use a hole punch to make one hole at the front and one hole at the back of each fish. To make your banner, connect the fish by putting metal brads through the holes. Keep adding fish until your banner is as long as you want it. The example banner has six fish. On each end of your banner, thread a piece of white yarn through the holes. This yarn will help you hang your banner.

Step 7: Add a special message to your banner.

This step is optional! For a special touch, you can use a sharpie marker to write a quote on your banner, with one word on each fish. Or, you can print out a quote, cut out the words, and glue them onto your fish. Some fun ideas for quotes are 'Swim against the stream' or 'Be uniquely You!'. This makes your banner even more special for your room or creative space.

DIY Fish Banner Craft | GlueStick

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