[For 5-year-olds] Let’s make origami! A collection of fun folding ideas
Here are some origami ideas for five-year-olds.
By the time children are five, you’ll often see them helping each other with parts they don’t understand or folding while looking at an origami instruction book.
While respecting each child’s pace, teachers should also enjoy working on these together with the children.
We’re introducing lots of ideas—ones you can fold and play with, as well as cute ones to decorate with or wear—so once the origami is finished, be sure to have fun playing with the children!
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[For 5-year-olds] Let’s make it with origami! A collection of fun folding ideas (91–100)
Cute morning glory

Let’s make colorful and cute morning glories out of origami that bloom cheerfully under the summer sun.
First, fold the origami paper in half into a square twice, then unfold it.
Next, fold all four corners toward the center, flip it over, and slightly fold in the four corners.
Flip it over again, and for each loose corner, make two diagonal folds so it forms a peak; after doing this for all four corners, open the paper.
Finally, turn the paper over, and fold the four corners you just peaked toward the center along the creases, and you’re done.
Try making lots in different colors and decorating with them!
whale

Fold the origami paper in half to make a crease.
Fold the corners up toward the center line, then fold the whole paper in half to start forming the whale shape.
Shape the whale’s body so it becomes large and rounded.
Finally, fold up the whale’s tail, draw the mouth with a felt-tip pen, and you’re done.
Give this popular whale a try—kids love it! Before making it, it’s also a good idea to show photos of whales or read picture books that feature whales as part of your explanation.
happi (traditional Japanese festival coat)

Let’s make a happi coat—often worn at Japanese festivals and traditional events—out of origami.
First, fold the paper in half into a square twice and unfold.
Next, fold up the bottom edge about 1 cm.
Turn it over and fold the bottom corners on both sides inward, slightly offset from the center crease.
Then fold both side edges inward so they’re the same width, and make inside reverse folds where the layers overlap on both sides.
Turn the paper over and fold the bottom edge up to the color boundary near the top.
Open out the two corners in the middle and fold them outward.
Finally, draw a pattern to finish.
Try making lots of colorful, unique happi coats!
sunflower

Let’s make a sunflower—one of the iconic flowers of summer—using origami.
Prepare one sheet of origami paper.
Fold the paper in half into a square twice to make crease lines.
Once you have the creases, fold each corner toward the center.
Continue folding the paper in sequence from the outside toward the inside.
Finally, draw a pattern in the center of the sunflower with a felt-tip pen to finish.
It might be cute to make many of them and arrange them like a sunflower field.
Let’s brighten up the room with sunflowers!
Plump Wind Chime

How about making a wind chime out of origami that captures the feeling of summer with its cool tone and a strip of paper swaying in the breeze? First, fold the origami paper in half into a square twice.
Next, draw lines on the square as if shaping flower petals, then cut along the lines with scissors.
Snip off a tiny bit in the center so there’s a small hole.
Open the paper; once it looks like a flower, gather the tips of the petals toward the center, overlap them, and glue them down.
Finally, thread a string through and attach a tanzaku (paper strip) to the string to finish.
If you thread a small bell onto the string, it will make a sound and feel even more like a wind chime.
This softly rounded, cute wind chime is perfect to make and display by your window!
stag beetle

Here’s a popular stag beetle you can make with origami that’s a big hit with kids.
We recommend preparing black or brown origami paper.
Line up the left and right edges of the paper and crease along the center.
By making firm creases, it becomes easier to fold the beetle’s base body and mandibles evenly.
Fold the body while checking the size and keeping the balance.
Finally, fold both sides of the body to finish.
Add eyes and draw a face to create a cool-looking stag beetle!
spotted seal

Why not try making a ribbon seal with origami—its round body and beady eyes are so cute! It may look tricky, but it’s surprisingly easy.
If you start by creasing carefully, the rest of the steps will go more smoothly, so pay attention to each crease and work patiently.
There are many small steps, so when working with children, prepare large origami paper and fold together while checking each step—it’ll be smoother.
It’s also recommended to have photos or illustrations of real ribbon seals ready and show them to the kids before drawing the face and body markings.
Give it a try with everyone!



