If you’ve got a stack of paper plates, you’ve got a creative storytime prop! Go beyond mask crafts with these fun ideas.

1) Stick Puppet Theater:

Fold plate in half and cut a slit in the center of the fold. Then open the plate and decorate your stage. Poke the stick of your stick puppet down through the fold and manipulate the puppet from the back.

2) Peek-a-Boo Plates:

Use the plate to hide your face throughout this rhyme.

Peek-a-boo, I see you

Now I don’t, and now I do.

I slip behind and there I hide.

Now I pop up grinning wide.

Now I’m gone and now I’m here.

One side, other side, far and near.

I love to hide and so do you

But I love most to say PEEK-A-BOO!

3) Hats:

After reading Hats Hats Hats by Ann Morris (Mulberry, 1993), discuss how people around the world carry things on their heads. Then say the following rhyme. Invite a child to the front to help you act it out. Place a paper plate on the child’s head and fill it with plastic food as you say the rhyme. Or get everyone in on the fun by passing out plates to each child, along with a packet of pictures of the food. Ask the children to place the plates on their heads, then add the correct food when it is said in the rhyme.

Going to the Market

I’m going to the market, I’m going just like that.

I will buy potatoes and put them in my hat.

(Repeat with tomatoes, apples, mangos, grapes, bananas, cheese, bread and other foods as desired.)

4) Steering Wheels:

Pass out a paper plate to each child, then have the kids line up and hold their paper plates like steering wheels.  Play “Car Car” from Travelin’ Magic by Joanie Bartels (BMG, 1989) and let the kids act out driving, honking their horns, and the other verses of the song.

5) Find that Plate:

Mark the plates with animals, letters, or colors and when you say the animal sound, word (beginning letter sound), or color,  invite the children to find the appropriate plate.