Fun spring craft ideas using origami to make with your one-year-old!
A warm and sunny spring.
Many teachers are probably thinking, “I want to enjoy spring-themed crafts with the children!” So this time, we’re introducing craft ideas using origami for one-year-olds.
In addition to folding, we’ve packed in ideas that stimulate children’s senses by letting them rip paper, stick pieces on, and use their fingers in lots of ways.
We’ve gathered plenty of spring motifs that are familiar to children, such as tulips, cherry blossoms, ladybugs, and butterflies! Please use these as a reference and enjoy making cute spring crafts together.
Because the children’s creations are treated as works, we use the term “制作” (seisaku: production/work) in the text.
Fun spring crafts to make with 1-year-olds! Origami-based activity ideas (1–10)
Perfectly round and cute! Dandelion paper cutoutNEW!
It’s a lovely idea to make spring-like dandelion paper cutouts and decorate your walls or windows to create a sense of the season.
Fold an origami sheet in half into a square twice, then fold it into a triangle.
Open the tip of the triangle outward and fold it into a triangle again, then draw the cutting lines with a pencil.
Cut along the lines with scissors, gently unfold, and shape the petals so they stand up slightly to finish.
It’s recommended to make deeper cuts without cutting too far through.
You can also add white fluff using cotton to create spring-like dandelions.
Cherry blossom petals made with a heart and rolled origami
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnwOgAMPR2K/How about “tissue-paper cherry blossom petals” as a craft idea to try with childcare workers or kindergarten teachers? First, let’s get prepared.
Cut construction paper into rectangles, roll each into a heart shape, and secure it with glue.
Next, arrange them on a clear file so they look like petals, and glue them down.
Once they’re dry, you’re ready.
Hand it over to the kids from here—have them stuff tissue paper into the paper hearts, and it’s done.
If you prepare tissue paper in multiple colors, it will turn out even cuter.
A caterpillar made by rolling up origami
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbUk5RdN1DX/Let’s make a caterpillar out of origami inspired by the beloved picture book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”! The method is super simple: roll up pieces of origami paper and stick them onto a leaf-shaped base.
You can put double-sided tape on the base in advance and attach the origami to it, or, if the children can pinch and handle tape, cut the tape into small pieces and let them stick it onto the rolled parts themselves.
Feel free to add your own touches—draw the eyes, antennae, legs, and mouth, or fill the area around the caterpillar with flowers.
Strawberry that takes only three folds
https://www.instagram.com/p/CahC5-vpo9t/Shall we make strawberries out of origami—the kind you crave when spring arrives? This one only takes three folds, and even if things get a bit misaligned, it still looks like a strawberry, so I think even a one-year-old can give it a try! First, fold the origami paper in half, then fold it again to make a square.
Fold in the corner where the four layers meet by about 1 cm toward the center, and you’re done! Draw the seeds with a pen or crayon, cut a strip of origami paper and glue it into a teardrop shape, then attach about three of those as the calyx.
It will look perfectly like a strawberry!
[Torn Paper Art] Fluttering Butterfly
![[Torn Paper Art] Fluttering Butterfly](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kSX1hih8xKk/sddefault.jpg)
Let’s make a cute butterfly using construction paper.
First, fold the paper in half, then add creases about 1 centimeter to the left and right of the main crease.
When you do this, make sure the center crease is a mountain fold.
Return the paper to the folded-in-half position and cut out a butterfly shape.
The part with the mountain fold will be the butterfly’s body, so make two horizontal slits in that area.
Finally, tear some colored origami paper and paste it onto the wings to create patterns, add the antennae, and you’re done.
Prepare several colors of origami paper to make a bright, decorative pattern.
Pop-open little beans made with torn paper
Here’s an idea for making “Omamesan,” a craft themed around spring vegetable peas.
First, prepare by cutting out the pod, peas, and stem from construction paper.
For the pod, fold the paper in half and cut it with scissors to make a double-layered pod.
Cut out round peas, draw faces on them, stick them inside the pod, then attach the stem—prep complete! Please have an adult do the steps up to this point.
For one-year-olds, let them tear origami paper into pieces and stick them onto the pod to make a pattern.
Butterflies made with torn-paper collage and toilet paper rolls
https://www.instagram.com/p/COAfe3mBY9w/Butterflies flutter around in spring, and when children see them, they can’t help but want to chase after them.
This idea uses a toilet paper roll, construction paper, and origami paper to make a butterfly.
First, cut the construction paper into a butterfly shape, and wrap the roll with yellow origami paper.
Next, draw a face on the roll and attach antennae made from pipe cleaners.
Up to this step, an adult should handle the preparation.
Have the children tear the origami paper and stick the pieces on the wings to create patterns however they like.
Finally, glue the wings and the roll body together, and it’s complete!