Cool origami that boys will love and want to fold
When it comes to origami that boys love, cool vehicles and weapons are definitely the most popular! One of the best parts is that once you finish making them—like airplanes, trains, swords, or kunai—you can play with them right away.
In this article, we’ve gathered special ideas that will make boys who are tired of ordinary origami light up with excitement.
You’ll find lots of creations that tickle the hearts of boys who love cool rides and epic battles.
Once you’re done, have fun playing with friends or displaying them in your room!
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Moving mechanisms and playable toys (11–20)
How to fold a Pac-Pac AnpanmanNEW!
Here’s an idea to adapt the classic origami “fortune teller” into Anpanman.
First, do the blintz fold twice and complete the fortune teller.
Then paste a slightly smaller piece of red origami paper inside the fortune teller, fold it into a triangle twice to create an X-shaped crease.
Apply glue to the top and bottom two of the four triangles formed by the creases, fold it in half along the vertical center line, and press firmly to secure.
This creates Anpanman’s mouth.
Finally, round off the edges of the finger holes on the back, attach the facial parts, and you’re done!
How to fold a playable Anpanman spinning topNEW!
Let’s make a Beyblade you can easily battle with using origami! In this idea, you’ll use four sheets of origami paper to create the outer body, inner body, handle, and hand decorations, then combine them into a single Beyblade.
The inner body and handle are basically made with the zabuton fold.
The outer body follows the same steps as the trick boat up to a point.
After making two boats, squash both sides into squares, then transform them into diamond shapes.
Draw the Anpanman illustration on this part.
Finally, make four hand decorations using origami paper cut into quarters, insert them into the illustrated section, and you’re done! The folding steps themselves aren’t difficult, so it’s perfect for parent-child origami time.
Origami like fireworks
Kids will be absolutely captivated! Here’s an origami that looks just like fireworks.
You’ll use eight sheets of origami paper to make it.
Bring the four corners to the center to form a square, then fold all the corners inward again.
Flip it over, bring the corners to the center once more, open it up, and squash it flat into a heart-like shape—one part is done! Make eight identical parts, stack and glue them one on top of another, and finally glue the first and eighth pieces together to finish.
It’s very simple, so it’s easy for kids to try.
It’s a toy they’ll want to play with over and over, so give it a try!
Push Pop
Push pops, with their bumpy look and the satisfying popping sensation when pressed, captivate children.
Another charm is that kids can use their fingers a lot and focus while enjoying various ways to play.
How about making such push pops with origami? Since it requires fine work and some slightly tricky steps, please have an adult make them.
It’s also fun to make many and connect them together.
We can’t wait to see the kids’ reactions when they see the finished creations!
eye
It’s a toy inspired by an eye that shows a blinking-like motion when you hold and move the edge.
Shape the whole piece like an eye while doubling the layers, creating both a handle to move it and a gap that reveals the inner eye.
It’s important to pay attention to how far you fold back and to keep the left and right sides symmetrical.
Once the overall shape is set, draw an eye in the gap and you’re done.
A more realistic drawing is recommended, since it creates a stronger impact when you move it.
The impression of the eye also changes depending on the color of the origami, so try various combinations.
Mini Shoot Game
It’s a toy where you launch a ball from the lifted edge and aim to get it into the hole at the other end.
The target and the launching mechanism are all built into a single sheet of origami, which gives it a cohesive feel.
It’s important to fold carefully with the creases in mind; the overlapping folds create a spring-like lifted shape and a target that stays stable even when the ball goes in.
Since it’s made from a single sheet of origami, making major modifications is tricky, but you can change the feel by adjusting the strength of the mechanism or the angle of the target—so it’s worth experimenting.
Moving Mechanisms and Playable Toys (21–30)
Propeller
Do you remember the first piece of origami you ever folded? The memory might be a bit fuzzy, but I think everyone has folded a paper airplane at least once.
Watching a plane you made fly through the air—it was exciting, even moving, wasn’t it? So let me introduce an origami model that’s one step up from the paper airplane: the “propeller,” which some people call a “paper copter.” Once you make it, be sure to play with it together with friends.
In addition to the propeller shown in this video, there are various kinds of propellers and paper copters—like the spinning bamboo-copter type and a box-shaped type that spins a lot.
Have fun and give them all a try!
origami cracker
When it comes to origami toys that are super simple yet keep kids totally absorbed, the “cracker” (paper popper) comes to mind.
I’m sure many parents played with it at least once, too.
While many people may have made it with newspaper, this is the origami version.
It’s very easy to make! Fold the origami paper in half into a square twice, then squash-fold it into a triangle on both sides—and you’re done! Anyone can make it easily, so if your child likes it, it’s fun to make together.
Even kids who first look puzzled and say, “What’s this?” will perk up the moment it makes a sound!
A frog that jumps well
The frog that jumps up energetically when you flick it with your finger is a classic origami model, and the way it’s constructed changes how it jumps.
This frog has independent back legs and uses many small, repeated folds to increase stiffness.
To make it jump well, it’s important to keep the left and right sides symmetrical and to pay attention to how firmly you crease.
As the overall size gets smaller, the folding becomes more difficult, so using tools to sharpen the creases is a good option in those cases.
Magic Spiral Cube
Spin it and it stretches! Here’s how to make a Magic Spiral Cube packed with fascinating surprises.
It looks very difficult, but you can actually make it by preparing multiple identical parts and assembling them—once you get the hang of it, it’s surprisingly easy.
You might have each child make one part and then connect everyone’s pieces together.
When assembling, be sure to glue or use double-sided tape firmly so it won’t break even after repeated play.
Try making and playing with different variations—long ones, short ones, colorful ones, and more.