Introducing kids to the art of origami is a wonderful way to spark their creativity and enhance their motor skills. Origami, the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, can be both fun and educational. Among the numerous designs available, easy origami animals are particularly popular with children. To get started, here’s a basic worksheet and step-by-step instructions for creating simple origami animals that children will love.
Origami Dog
_What You Need:_
– 1 square piece of origami paper (15cm x 15cm recommended)
_Instructions:_
1. Lay the paper flat and color side down.
2. Fold the paper in half diagonally to form a triangle.
3. Fold the left and right corners up to meet at the top corner, forming a diamond shape.
4. Fold the bottom corner up slightly to make the dog’s chin.
5. Turn over your figure; you now have your basic dog shape.
6. To add detail, fold the top of the diamond back on each side to create ears.
7. Draw eyes and a nose with a marker to give your dog character.
Origami Cat
_What You Need:_
– 1 square piece of origami paper (15cm x 15cm)
_Instructions:_
1. Place your paper color side down.
2. Fold it in half diagonally both ways and unfold to get an X crease.
3. Turn it over and fold it in half from top to bottom then from left to right.
4. Collapse along creases into a triangle base with open ends at the bottom.
5. Fold upper layers’ outer edges towards the middle crease line, forming a kite shape.
6. For cat ears, fold top layers’ outer corners upwards.
7. Fold up bottom point between ears partially under each layer to form the head.
8. Flip figure over and draw eyes, whiskers, and mouth.
Origami Fish
_What You Need:_
– 1 square piece of origami paper (15cm x 15cm)
_Instructions:_
1. Begin with paper color side down.
2. Fold paper in half diagonally (triangle).
3. Fold left/right corners of triangle up again towards the opposite corners — they will overlap slightly at top creating fish’s body.
4. Fold down one corner for tail fin, adjusting angle as desired.
5. Open folded pieces slightly; form tail fin more distinctly by bending them outward.
6. Flip over your fish; you can draw an eye or paste a small circle of black paper for detail.
By following these simple instructions, children can make a delightful collection of origami animals without too much difficulty. Encourage kids to explore colors and patterns within their origami designs which can result in personalized creations they can be proud of!
