Origami

Easy origami for kids: jumping frog, boat, fox and tulip with tips by age

TUREFF• •0
Origami is a great activity for children. It costs almost nothing, trains fine motor skills, patience and following instructions, and ends with a toy they made themselves. The trick is choosing models that match their age, so it stays fun rather than frustrating.

Tips by age

  • Ages 3 to 5: models of two to four folds. Children this age can fold paper in half and line up corners with help, but cannot yet do precise or layered folds. Use larger paper (20 cm or more), pre-crease difficult folds for them, and add drawing: a triangle becomes a fox once it has eyes. Let them do the fun last fold.
  • Ages 5 to 7: six to ten folds, still with bold, simple steps. They can follow a demonstration step by step if you fold alongside them, one fold at a time.
  • Ages 7 to 10: most simple traditional models, including the jumping frog, boats and fortune tellers. Many can start reading simple diagrams.
  • Ages 10 and up: the crane and other models with squash and reverse folds, modular projects and their own designs.
At every age: fold together rather than demonstrating and then watching, keep sessions short, and treat a wonky model as a finished model. Pointing out what went well matters more than perfect corners.

Fox face (ages 3 and up)

  1. Fold a square in half diagonally to make a triangle, with the long edge at the top.
  2. Fold the triangle in half and unfold, to mark the centre.
  3. Fold the two top corners down so they point below the long edge: these are the ears.
  4. Turn it over, so the point of the triangle is the snout.
  5. Draw eyes and a nose.
The same shape becomes a dog with the ears folded down, or a cat with the ears folded up.

Tulip (ages 4 and up)

  1. Fold a square in half diagonally to a triangle, with the point upwards.
  2. Fold the left and right corners up at an angle, so they stick up past the top like petals. They do not need to match exactly.
  3. Turn over and fold in the side corners a little to round the flower.
  4. For the stem, fold a second square into a long thin kite shape and tuck the flower on top, or glue it on paper and draw the stem.

Simple boat (ages 5 and up)

The classic newspaper boat works with any rectangle, such as A4.
  1. Fold the rectangle in half from top to bottom.
  2. Fold in half sideways and unfold, to mark the centre.
  3. Fold the top corners down to the centre line, making a house shape.
  4. Fold the bottom strip up on each side, over the triangles.
  5. Open it from the bottom and flatten it into a square, then fold the bottom corners up on each side to make a triangle.
  6. Open it again into a square, and gently pull the top points apart: the boat opens out.
Put it in the bath: it does float for a while, especially if made with waxed or glossy paper.

Jumping frog (ages 7 and up)

Use a rectangle of thicker paper, such as an index card. Thicker paper gives a better jump.
  1. At the top of the card, fold each top corner diagonally across and unfold, to make an X.
  2. Fold the top edge down through the centre of the X and unfold.
  3. Push the sides in so the top collapses into a triangle on top of a rectangle.
  4. Fold the triangle's two bottom corners up to its tip: these are the front legs.
  5. Fold the sides of the rectangle in to the centre.
  6. Fold the bottom edge up to the base of the triangle, then fold half of it back down again, making a zigzag: this is the spring.
  7. Press down on the back of the frog and slide your finger off: it jumps.
Hold frog races or a long-jump contest, and let children work out which changes make a better jump.

Other easy favourites

  • the cup (and you really can drink from it, briefly)
  • the fortune teller, also known as the cootie catcher or salt cellar
  • the paper hat
  • a simple heart
  • a paper aeroplane

Making it easier

  • Bright paper coloured on one side, so children can see which face is which.
  • Big sheets for small hands.
  • Rewards that are part of play: race the boats, jump the frogs, make a zoo of animals.
  • Avoid scissors and glue for the youngest unless you are helping.
What is your child's favourite model, and at what age did they manage it? Share your tips, or ask for ideas for a particular age, in the comments below.

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