[Origami] Simple Origami Ideas to Feel the Spring with 3-Year-Olds
How about incorporating origami into a spring craft project for three-year-olds?
Around age three, children’s vocabulary grows, and more of them start showing interest in colors and shapes.
We’ve gathered plenty of spring-themed origami ideas that are perfect for three-year-olds.
There aren’t many folding steps, and the instructions are simple, so even children who aren’t used to origami can enjoy folding!
In addition to folding, there are also ideas that involve cutting with scissors.
We’re introducing lots of spring motifs that kids will be eager to make, so please use them for inspiration.
Because we regard what the children create as “artworks,” we use the term “seisaku (制作)” in the main text.
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[Origami] Easy spring-themed origami ideas to enjoy with 3-year-olds (1–10)
Decorate a lot—so cute! How to fold flowersNEW!
Having floral decorations really brightens up a room, doesn’t it? In April, when many flowers come into bloom, try making colorful flowers out of origami to enjoy the arrival of spring.
Prepare 7.5 cm-square and 2.5 cm-square origami paper.
Fold the larger one into a triangle twice, then open the pocket and flatten it.
Fold it into a triangle again and trim along a curved line from the top edge.
It helps to cut with flower petals in mind.
Make a small fold at the bottom, then open each petal one by one to shape the flower.
Create the center of the flower with the smaller piece of origami and attach it to finish.
Papercut of a dandelionNEW!
Dandelions, which you often see in parks and along roadsides, are one of the most familiar flowers for children.
For many people, seeing dandelions is a sign that spring has arrived.
This time, let’s enjoy making dandelion kirigami with origami.
Fold a yellow sheet of origami paper in half into a square twice, then fold it into a triangle, and fold it in half once more.
Draw two curved lines at the edge and connect them with two vertical lines.
Make a total of three small, similar parts, cut along the drawn lines with scissors, and then assemble them to complete the flower.
Make the leaves with green origami, too.
Older kindergarteners who are getting better at using scissors—try kirigami to further develop your finger dexterity!
A fun-to-play roly-poly flowerNEW!
A curious piece of origami where a flower dropped upside down springs right back up.
It’s an idea that older kindergarteners bursting with curiosity are sure to love! First, fold the origami paper in half horizontally, then fold it halfway toward the crease, and again halfway… adding lots of crease lines.
After folding the four corners toward the center, keep folding along the creases.
It may seem a bit complicated, but once you understand the steps, it’s actually easy.
Try it while playing the video in slow motion.
It’s a delightful pop-up flower you’ll want to drop again and again.
[Origami] Easy paper-folding ideas to feel the spring with 3-year-olds (11–20)
Easy! Four-leaf cloverNEW!
Clovers that appear in parks and along roadsides in spring are a favorite plant among children.
Four-leaf clovers in particular are said to bring good luck, and you may see kids searching for them.
Here is how to fold a four-leaf clover.
Fold a 7.5 cm square of origami paper in half horizontally, then fold the top and bottom along the crease.
Rotate it, fold in half again, and fold the top and bottom along the crease.
Open the pocketed sections; once it’s divided into four pockets, make small cuts, adjust the shape, and it’s done.
It’s also cute to add a ladybug made from a red round sticker.
Cute mini basketNEW!
Let’s make a mini basket for small items using construction paper.
Prepare a 15 cm × 21 cm sheet, then fold it in half to make a small rectangle.
Open it after creasing, and fold the left and right edges to meet the center crease.
Next, fold all four corners into triangles.
The key is to fold them slightly away from the center line.
Aligning with the inner edges of the triangles, fold the left and right sides to make creases, then fold the top and bottom edges you first folded outward by about 1 cm.
Once folded, open it up from there to form a box shape.
Attach a handle and decorations, and it’s complete!
A foldable bamboo shoot you can display as is! How to fold itNEW!
When the weather turns warm around April, bamboo shoots peek out from the soil.
They also start appearing on the dining table, giving children more chances to see them.
You might also picture them as chocolate snacks shaped like bamboo shoots.
Here is an origami project to make a bamboo shoot, familiar even to older kindergarteners.
After folding the paper in half vertically and horizontally to make creases, fold a small section at the bottom back.
Fold the top edge down to meet the lower crease, then fold the left and right sides to create patterns like bamboo shoot husks.
The finished bamboo shoot can be displayed flat as a wall decoration or puffed out at the bottom to stand on its own.
Fold a springtime bamboo shoot and enjoy the season.
An easy way to fold a bamboo shootNEW!
When warm days continue, bamboo shoots suddenly peek out from the soil.
They’re one of the vegetables familiar to children, too.
Let’s make a bamboo shoot out of origami! Fold a brown sheet of origami paper into a triangle, then fold the two adjacent sides along the crease.
Fold down the triangular section, and lift the pointed part on the opposite side upward.
Fold the corners on both sides inward to shape it like a bamboo shoot, and you’re done.
With few folding steps and very simple instructions, it looks like even preschoolers can enjoy making it.