Bear Faces
Bear Paper Plate Faces
A sweet, simple craft to pair with storytelling, social-emotional learning and play.
A bit about it
We made these bear faces alongside the book Say Please, Little Bear… a gentle, lovely read about kindness and using our words. It’s a great way to bring stories to life through hands-on creativity.
You’ll need
Paper plates
Coloured paper (we used brown and pink for ears)
Glue sticks or tape
Popsicle sticks
Textas, crayons or paint (optional)
How to make them
1. Cut out two round ears from brown paper, and two smaller pink circles for the insides.
2. Stick the ears onto the back of the plate to make your bear.
3. Decorate the plate however you like—we used crayons and a little paint.
4. Tape or glue a popsicle stick to the bottom so the kids can hold it like a mask or puppet.
What it encourages
Story retelling and imaginative play
Social and emotional learning through storytelling
Fine motor skills and hand strength
Confidence in speaking and sharing
Creativity and connection to books
Extra ideas You can easily adapt this for other animal stories too. Try adding snouts, whiskers or eyebrows to explore emotions or character traits. You could also act out parts of the book using the masks, or let the kids create their own bear adventures.
This one is a calm, creative option that flows beautifully from story time into play. You don’t need fancy materials, and it’s always a hit when kids get to become part of the story.
