Let's make it with origami! Ideas for simple 3D creations
Origami tends to be associated with flat designs, but you can actually make lots of three-dimensional pieces too.
In this article, we’ll introduce ideas for 3D origami projects.
From simple shapes like hearts, stars, and dice to small containers and toys you can play with, we’ve gathered a variety of ideas.
If you want to try making 3D origami or are looking for something a bit more challenging than flat designs, feel free to use this as a reference.
All of these ideas involve relatively simple steps, so give them a try without hesitation!
Let's make origami! Ideas for simple 3D creations (1–10)
Mount Fuji
Let’s make a three-dimensional box inspired by Mount Fuji, a symbol of Japan.
Although it tapers toward the top, it still has a solid box structure, making it practical as a small container.
Fold by carefully layering triangles, paying attention to the base and the opening as you go.
This care helps achieve a beautiful, three-dimensional finish, so a key point is to fold neatly to avoid creases.
While Mount Fuji typically evokes overlapping blue and white, it could be fun to experiment with other colors to enjoy different impressions.
Push Pop
Push pops, loved for their addictive pressing sensation, are all the rage.
Here’s an idea for making a push pop ring out of origami! It’s very simple to make, so you’ll be tempted to try it in lots of different colors.
The push-pop part is fairly sturdy, so you can actually press it and play.
The ring band is quite long when just folded, so cut it to fit your finger.
Once you’ve decided on the length, secure it with tape to form the ring.
Wear it on your finger and enjoy that endlessly addictive feel anytime!
Stackable pentagonal pencil box
It’s a cute little container shaped like a pentagonal pencil.
Since it’s built from stacked boxes, making each section sturdy and shaping the pencil-like lid are key points.
For the lid parts, use a sheet of origami cut in half, fold it into six equal sections, and add triangular creases at each end.
Once the creases are made, fold while paying attention to front and back, shape it to resemble a pencil, assemble, and you’re done.
The box parts also use six equal creases; by assembling multiple tightly folded layers, you’ll end up with a sturdy box.
The most important aspect of this craft is ensuring the paper layers are firmly overlapped and assembled into a solid structure.
dice
This is a sturdy, colorful cube assembled by combining parts made from origami.
The key points are to make six identical parts precisely from six sheets of paper and to pay attention to where each piece is inserted during assembly.
Each part is a parallelogram guided by quarter-fold creases; be mindful of the paper layers and create firm slots.
Then insert each part into the slots of the others and assemble them into a cube to finish.
Since you use six sheets, you can also enjoy experimenting with color combinations—think about how to assemble the parts so that the colors end up in the positions you want.
soft serve ice cream
Let’s try making a cute soft-serve ice cream in origami, with a gentle swirl sitting on a cone.
Use triangular creases as a guide to form the base edges, then glue the ends together to shape the cone into a diamond-like form.
Next, twist the portion that extends above the cone and shape it into the soft-serve swirl to complete the whole piece.
Aim for a sturdy look on the cone by paying attention to the layered paper, and a soft look for the cream by twisting gently.
When we think of soft-serve, we often picture a yellow or ocher cone with white cream, but it’s also fun to enjoy how changing the colors alters the impression, or to arrange a display of soft serves in various colors as decoration.
Spinning Kaleidoscope
This is a craft you can enjoy like a kaleidoscope, with colors changing as you twist the whole piece inward and outward.
You fold paper into an accordion, then add steps of folding and pulling out the ends to shape it into an “M.” Connect those parts together, and finally join the two ends to form a circle to complete the piece.
Thanks to the distinctive M-shape and the accordion folds, the structure allows the front and back to flip cleanly as it rotates.
Try arranging the colors and connecting the front and back in different ways to enjoy a variety of color patterns.
star
Making a three-dimensional star with origami is surprisingly easy! It’s the perfect idea when you want to try something a step up from a flat star.
Just fold and cut the paper according to the steps, then crease along the lines as mountain and valley folds, and you’ll have a plump, 3D star in no time.
Using thicker origami paper or cardstock helps it keep its shape and look cleaner.
It’s also great as a Christmas ornament or home décor.
It’s amazing how a little ingenuity can create such a lovely piece—origami really has incredible depth!