DIY Dollar Store Trophies

Dollar store trophies add a little fun to any competition! They are easy and inexpensive to make and versatile for any activity you host.

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My husband is currently involved in the scouting program and oversees activities for the Cub Scouts in our neighborhood. A couple of weeks ago, the scouts participated in the Pinewood Derby. I thought it would be fun to create some simple trophies for the boys to take home for first, second and third place.

Most of the supplies came from the Dollar Tree and I was able to make all four of them in just a few hours! I’ve included a list of supplies below.

Here are the supplies you’ll need:

• Small clear plastic plates*
• Small clear plastic bowls*
• Small clear plastic glasses with stems*
• Super glue (I used Krazy Glue Craft)
• Small item to put on top (such as a toy car)*
• Spray paint (I used gold, silver and bronze)
• Foam stickers with #s and/or letters (optional)

*Indicates it can be purchased at the Dollar Tree.

First, open your plastic plates, bowls and glasses. Play around with stacking them together until they look the way you want. Because we did a first, second and third place, each of the trophies got progressively smaller. I recommend starting with a plate for a base. When the trophies are done, they are super lightweight and can get knocked over easily so a big base will help prevent that.

Once everything looks the way you want, grab your super glue and start gluing it all together. The super glue I used is called Krazy Glue Craft (linked above in supplies list) and the small tip on it helped me apply the glue more precisely so it didn’t drip down the sides of the dishes.

Lastly, remember to glue your small item on the top. Since we did these for the Pinewood Derby, we used small cars. (Getting the glue on the wheels was a little tricky but not impossible.) Let your trophies dry overnight.

The next step is to spray paint each trophy. You’ll want to pick a place that is well ventilated (aka outside) and isn’t windy. Having a flat and level place to put your trophies when spray painting them is important so they don’t fall over. A piece of cardboard (weighted down so the wind doesn’t catch it) or a piece of wood work well.

*PRO TIP* I highly recommend buying one of these spray paint grips if you’re going to be doing any kind of spray painting project. It attaches to any spray can and prevents your finger from getting tired from pushing down on the nozzle. This also allows for a more even coat of paint.

*NOTE* If you are doing a first, second and third place trophy, remember: First place: GOLD, Second place: SILVER, Third place: BRONZE.

Now that you’ve got everything set up, spray away! I just start at the front and work my way around until everything has been sprayed. Make sure to double check underneath your plates to make sure everything is covered. Do a second coat if needed. Then let it dry.

For the finishing touch, add some stickers to the trophies to indicate what they are for. Foam stickers (like the Thickers brand linked in the supply list) work well because they are flexible, thicker and very sticky so they are much less likely to come off than regular stickers. I used a 1, 2 and 3 for mine, but you could also spell it out.

And that’s it! I love how cute these dollar store trophies turned out and the boys were so excited to take them home. These trophies are so versatile and you could make them for pretty much any type of party or competition. I think these would be so fun for a Halloween costume party or a child’s birthday party!

What type of event or activity would you make these dollar store trophies for?