Fun Paper Plate Cicada Craft for Kids
The cicadas are coming! I have mixed feelings about it. It is so cool to think about bugs that somehow wait 17 years and then all emerge together, just to disappear a few weeks later for another astounding 17 years. Learn more about these amazing bugs while making this super simple paper plate cicada craft. Use the printable template to make it even easier.
I used paint, including some iridescent white and orange, when making this Cicada bug craft, but you do not have to. If you prefer, just use crayons and markers or even chalk. A white marker or crayon would work to make the marks on the wings.
When making this bug craft for preschoolers, precut the pieces and allow them to decorate the parts with markers and crayons and then glue it all together. They will love it! And they will love learning all about this unique bug.
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SUPPLIES FROM THE BAG
- Paper plate (9-inch coated)
- Newspaper
- Black paint
- Pompom
- Orange and white iridescent paint
- Q-tip
- Black and orange construction paper
- Scissors
- Scrap of red construction paper
- Glue stick
- Black Sharpie marker
- Cicada craft template
This paper plate bug craft is made from basic craft supplies that are all included on the master list that we use for every single creative project here at “In the Bag Kids’ Crafts”. As a matter of fact, that is where out name comes from…we only use a few supplies that can fit into one bag. And it’s all you will ever need to craft with your kids and truly enjoy the process. After all, making crafts should be fun! So, we have taken out the stress.
Step 1: Cut and Paint
- Cut the paper plate in half and place it on the newspaper that is spread out.
- Squeeze out a bit of black paint.
- Use the pompom to paint the bottom of the half paper plate. You can squeeze the pompom with a clothespin to form a “paint brush”.
- Set the plate aside to dry while you move on to step 2.
Step 2: Use the Cicada Craft Template
- Print the Cicada craft template that is included in the “13 Super Cool Bug Crafts” collection
- Cut out the parts of the cicada, using the picture as a guide for what colors of construction paper to use.
Step 3: Add Some Details
- Now that your plate has dried, add some orange stripes to the abdomen of your bug with a q-tip.
- Then use a q-tip to paint sections onto the cicada’s wing. I used iridescent white paint for this, but you can use a white crayon or white paint if you do not have iridescent paint.
- Finally, add some detail to the legs of your paper cicada craft.
Step 4
- Now that you have given all of the parts of your cicada craft some details and the paint has dried, it’s time to glue it all together.
- Glue on each of the parts as pictured.
- Use the black Sharpie to add a dot to the red eye and any other highlights you would like.
- Last, cut some antennae out of scraps of black paper and glue them in place.
Here are a few Cicada Facts for Kids…
Cicadas are herbivores who eat primarily leaf sap. There are more than 3000 species. Periodical cicadas spend most of their lives as underground nymphs for 13 or 17 years. After spending years underground they often don’t live more than a couple of weeks once they emerge, if that. They have many predators, such as birds and wasps. The males sing loudly to attract a mate. Their “singing” is one of the loudest sounds of any insect. It can make human ears hurt. You can listen to it here. The females respond to the calls with a “wing flick”.