Paper Plate Apple Core Craft

If you’re looking for a fun, easy fall activity for kids, this Paper Plate Apple Core Craft is the perfect choice! Using simple arts and craft supplies, children can create their own apple cores while practicing fine motor skills like cutting. This creative project works well at home or in the classroom—especially for September apple-themed units.

While you have the paper plates out, try pairing this activity with our Paper Plate Apple Craft.

Apple Core Paper Plate Craft

Crafting with paper plates gives kids a chance to explore shapes, textures, and colors while practicing important early learning skills like cutting, gluing, and hand-eye coordination. It also encourages creativity and decision-making as children choose colors, patterns, and how to decorate their apples. Plus, this apple craft makes it easy to talk with kids about how apples grow, the many varieties, and what an apple looks like when only the core is left.

You can also tie it into counting, sorting, or storytelling activities, making it a hands-on way to blend art with learning. For a fun twist, try doing this craft right after an apple taste test—kids can decorate their apple cores to look like the variety they liked best, connecting the activity to a real-life sensory experience.

Why You’ll Love This Craft

There are so many reasons to enjoy this apple core craft, especially if you’re looking for something fun and low-prep.

• This craft uses inexpensive, easy-to-find supplies that you may already have on hand.
• This project is low-mess.
• It encourages fine motor skills and imagination as kids cut, glue, and decorate their apple cores.
• The activity fits perfectly into apple or fall-themed lesson plans, adding a simple seasonal project to your schedule.
• It works well for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary ages, making it flexible across grade levels.
• Each finished apple looks unique, giving every child a chance to showcase their creativity.

Supplies for Paper Plate Apple Core Craft

Before you begin, make sure you have everything you need.

• Small paper plates – 6″
• Scissors
• Dot markers – red, yellow, green, lime green, brown, and black
• Glue Dots or tacky craft glue

Directions for Paper Plate Apple Core Craft

This apple core craft comes together quickly in just a few steps.

STEP 1: Cut the base. Trim a small paper plate into the shape of an apple core. Kids don’t need to be exact—the charm is in how each apple looks different! Be sure to hold onto your scraps, as you will need them to make the apple’s stem and leaf.

STEP 2: Add the apple skin. Use dot markers around the top and bottom edges of the plate to create a red, yellow, or green apple.

STEP 3: Add the seeds. Make a few black dots in the middle section of the apple to represent seeds. We learned that the average apple contains 5–8 seeds, so we added 5 seeds to ours.

STEP 4: Make the stem and leaf. Cut a stem and leaf from the leftover paper plate pieces. Color them with brown and green dot markers. Glue the stem and leaf to the top of the apple. A Glue Dot works well if you want it to dry quickly, but tacky craft glue is also a great option.

Take It Further: Extension Ideas

You can easily tie this activity into other lessons or use it as part of a larger apple theme.

• Apple taste test: Have kids decorate their apple core to match the variety they liked best.
• Math connection: Use the apple cores for counting, sorting, or simple addition.
• Storytime tie-in: Pair the craft with favorite apple-themed books like Ten Apples Up On Top! or The Apple Pie Tree.
• Classroom display: Hang the finished apples on a bulletin board.
• Necklace activity: Preschoolers and kindergartners can wear their apples on yarn as a fun fall accessory.
• Use real seeds: Add real apple seeds to the apple core instead of painting them. 
• Try different supplies: No dot markers? Try using tissue paper squares, watercolor paints, or crayons.

More Apple Craft Ideas for Kids

If you’re looking for even more ways to bring apples into your crafting time, try one of these fun projects.

• Torn Paper Apple Craft – Kids tear and glue red paper scraps to form a bright, textured apple.
• Apple Stamped Caramel Apple Craft for Kids – Use apple halves as stamps to create a sweet caramel apple design on paper.
• Apple Hedgehog Craft – Make a paper hedgehog with apple spines!
• Popsicle Stick Apple Craft – Build an apple shape with popsicle sticks and paint it red or green.
• Apple Glitter Jars – Create calming sensory jars filled with red or green glitter for a sparkly apple theme.
• 3D Apple Craft – Bend paper strips together to make beautiful paper apples.
• Pine Cone Apple Craft – Paint pine cones red and add leaves to turn them into rustic apple decorations.
• Felt Apple Craft – An easy no-sew craft with felt and clothespins.

Save This Craft

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