[Childcare] A roundup of easy summer origami ideas to enjoy with 5-year-olds
As the number of hot days increases, children at daycare and kindergarten tend to spend more time playing indoors.
Here, we’ll introduce some simple origami perfect for summer that five-year-olds can enjoy.
Origami involves using the hands, which helps develop dexterity, and turning favorite things into shapes also nurtures thinking skills.
While playing, children can also learn the joy of cooperation.
Brainstorm ideas with your child and try making a variety of creations.
Spend a fun summer with the children using origami that brings a sense of coolness!
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[Childcare] A roundup of simple summer origami ideas to enjoy with 5-year-olds (21–30)
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!
Yukata Kids
Speaking of summer, you often see people going out to festivals wearing yukata.
Here’s an introduction to making “Yukata Kids” with origami.
It’s recommended to use patterned origami paper for the yukata.
The steps are simple, so fold each part carefully and assemble while checking the overall balance.
There are separate face and hair parts for a girl and a boy, so choose whichever you like and give it a try.
Adding a ribbon or other accessory on the hair makes it look more stylish, enhances the summery feel, and results in an even cuter finish.
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!
soft serve ice cream

Let me show you how to fold a soft-serve ice cream that’s perfect for hot summer days.
Prepare two sheets of origami paper to make it.
For the cone, make firm creases as you fold.
The step where you inflate the paper and flatten it might be tricky, so take your time and fold along together with gentle guidance.
Align the creases to form the cone shape, and that part is complete.
For the soft-serve top, wrap the folded paper around a pencil to curl it and set the shape—this adds more depth and makes it look more eye-catching.
It’s also fun to try different colors of origami paper.
penguin

In the hot summer, let’s make a penguin that loves the cool ice and enjoy a refreshing feeling with the kids.
First, fold the origami into a triangle and open it, then fold the bottom corner up toward the center crease.
Flip it over, place it so it forms a diamond shape, and fold the bottom corner up again toward the top of the diamond.
Next, fold both side corners toward the center crease, turn it over, and fold both sides toward the center again so that all the white areas appear on the front.
Then insert your finger into the white section at the bottom, open it up, and squash-fold it into a triangle.
Repeat this on both sides.
Finally, fold the head down a little, turn the origami over, and fold the beak to finish.
Draw a face to make it cute!
yo-yo

Here’s an idea for making a classic summer festival game toy—a yo-yo balloon—using just one sheet of origami paper.
Fold the paper in half twice to make a smaller square, then unfold it.
Using the crease lines as guides, fold all four corners toward the center.
Next, pick one corner and fold it outward, then fold just the tip of that corner back inward once more.
Fold all four corners slightly inward to round the shape—now it’s starting to look like a yo-yo balloon.
Make small snips with scissors on the left and right sides of the folded-back section, then fold the part above the cuts inward to represent the tied mouth of the balloon.
That’s the end of the folding steps.
Finish by drawing your favorite patterns or adding stickers.
Origami Star

Here’s how to make a star that’s perfect for summer wall displays or Tanabata decorations.
This time, we’ll use two pieces of origami paper, each cut into quarters.
First, fold both pieces into triangles.
Take one of them and fold it into a triangle once more.
Open the other triangle, flip it over, and fold it into a triangle again.
Fold down the top layer’s corner so that the leftmost corner is halved.
Fold the whole piece in half to create a mountain fold.
Open the pocket with your finger and flatten the fold.
Finally, layer the two pieces by inserting the remaining triangular piece between them, glue them together, and your star is complete! Try making lots of stars in different sizes and patterns and decorate with them.



