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Inexpensive paper plates are the basic ingredient in how to make party hat creations for your kids party. If you have a unique party theme and can't find hats to match, just make your own. The kids will enjoy the hand-on approach and you'll save a few dollars in the process.

Start with a quantity of inexpensive paper plates, the kind with the scalloped edge. The entire outer edge of the plate will form the band which goes around the child's head. The center of the plate will be colored, drawn on, or otherwise decorated

Start by just cutting out the headband part, leaving the circular interior portion of the plate flipped up to decorate. Simply stick on a picture which pertains to your party theme. This could be a Barbie picture, a race car, or whatever. It's easy to copy pictures you find on the internet, or in children's coloring books, and let kids color them in.

Another easy paper plate hat design is a heart shape. Fold the plate in half and draw half a heart on it. Keeping the plate folded and cut around the heart, leaving it connected to the scalloped band. Then just open the plate and bend the heart up. This same method could be used to make a pop-up birthday cake hat, castle hat, choo-choo train hat, kitty cat hat, you name it! Designs with symmetry work best.

Try cutting out the entire inside of the plate, and simply glue or staple on bits of tulle, ribbon, streamers or whatever around the edges. This works well for Easter bonnets or fancy dress-up party hats.

Cut out the inner circle of a paper plate. Staple a paper bowl to the paper plate. Decorate with silk flowers, fabric, tulle, felt, ribbons, markers. Add ribbon or light elastic to opposite sides of the plate to secure on the head.

You can even take an intact paper plate, and decorate with a daisy, sunflower, the sun, or a ladybug design. Paint the plate in the desired color and let dry. Cut out flower petals, sun's rays, or ladybug spots in the appropriate colors and let kids construct the design of their choice. As always, run a knotted ribbon through a hole on either side of the plate to hold the 'bonnet' on.

Paper Plate Crown

Place a 9 inch plate on a 10 3/4 inch paper plate and trace around it. Divide the 9 inch circle on the larger paper plate into 8 equal parts, like a pie. Start at the center and cut along each line 3 inches. Bend the triangle shapes up like a crown. Paint and decorate with glitter or foil cut-outs.

Paper Plate Visor

Make a visor hat by cutting out the center of a paper plate to make a band to fit on the child's head. Then cut the round plate center into a half-circle and staple it to the band. Decorate as desired.

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