"This paper plate Abe Lincoln hat is simple enough that little ones can even get involved. It's a fun craft for Presidents' Day.  

Be sure to check out all of our Presidents' Day and Inauguration Day crafts and activities.

What you'll need:

How to make it:

1. Place paper plate right side up on the work surface. Paint with black paint and set aside to dry. (See image)
2. Glue two sheets of black construction paper together. Line them up side by side; they should be lying horizontally with the long sides at the bottom. Allow to dry. (See image.)
3. This step is optional and is great for kids that are a little older, 6 and up. Cut two 2"-wide strips from the black felt.
4. When the paper plate and the glue on the construction paper are both dry, roll the construction paper up so that the two ends touch each other. Roll up enough to where it fits in the top of the plate, leaving enough plate for the hat brim. Glue the rolled paper together to secure and hold for a few minutes until the glue grabs. (See image.)
5. If you did step 3, continue here. If you skipped step 3, move on to step 6. Take one of your felt strips and glue it along the bottom circumference of your "hat" where the hat band would go. Take the other black felt strip and wrap it around the remaining uncovered part of the circumference. You will have excess felt and will need to trim off what you don’t need before gluing it in place. Once trimmed, go ahead and glue the remaining hat band in place.
6. Place the hat "tube" on top of the plate. Pipe a generous line of glue around the bottom of the hat tube to secure the tube to the plate. (See image.)
7. Place about 10-15 sheets of construction paper on top of the hat tube to help give it some weight and allow the glue to grab. Allow the glue to dry about 45 minutes. (See image.)
8. The hat is now ready to use as a table decoration! If you want to make this craft into a wearable hat, poke a hole in the middle of the paper plate and cut out an opening big enough to fit the crown of your child's head. You can also attach a thin piece of elastic to either side of the hat to create a chin strap.

Tips:

• Many crafts can be simplified for younger children by pre-cutting pattern pieces, using glue sticks instead of liquid glue and using markers in place of small objects that require gluing.
• Felt is inexpensive and can be used for literally hundreds of projects. Be sure to stock up each time you visit the craft supply store.
• For older children a further challenge would be to cut a piece of black construction paper to fit on top of the hat and gluing it in place.