Origami ideas boys will want to make!
We’ll introduce origami ideas and instructions that boys will love, including playable origami toys, favorite creatures, and items perfect for pretend play.
Many of these can be made with just one sheet of origami paper, so even young children can give them a try.
Once you master the folds, try making them in different colors and patterns, or draw eyes and designs with a pen to add your own originality.
If you draw a picture on construction paper and paste your origami on top, it will add a three-dimensional feel and make a wonderful piece of art.
If you’re a boy who wants to try origami, have fun and give it a go!
- Cool origami that boys will love and want to fold
- Simple origami that can be folded from a single sheet
- Kids will love it! Easy origami ideas—great as gifts too!
- Craft ideas using plastic bottle caps [for boys]
- Let's make it with origami! A collection of ways to fold “dinosaurs”
- Let's make it with origami! Ideas for simple 3D creations
- [Origami] Cool DIY Ideas for Paper Shuriken
- Made of paper! A fun collection of DIY toy ideas you can play with
- Popular characters that are easy to make with origami. A collection of creations you can enjoy with children.
- Easy to make! DIY ideas for Whack-a-Gator
- Kids’ Origami: Cute and Easy Ideas to Make for a Birthday
- Cute Origami Ideas for Girls
- [For Kids] Let's Fold! Today's Origami Idea Collection
Origami ideas boys will want to make! (71–80)
a shootable origami gun
Many origami weapons focus on appearance, so their movement can feel a bit lacking.
This is an origami gun that’s satisfying even in its mechanical aspects, featuring a mechanism that actually fires a projectile.
You make the barrel piece for loading the bullet and the trigger piece separately, then assemble them together with the handle piece to complete the whole structure.
It’s important to secure everything firmly so it won’t break when you pull the trigger or fire a shot.
Finally, attach a rubber band, place a straw or a thin paper bullet in the barrel, and pull the trigger to launch the projectile.
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.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
https://www.tiktok.com/@yuyu_activity/video/7261097914519391506The classic picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar is packed with fun tricks and educational elements we want children to learn, all within a delightful story.
It’s a beloved classic that has been cherished around the world for many years.
How about making a Hungry Caterpillar out of origami and playing with it? It’s designed to stretch out with a boing when you pull it, so kids are sure to be thrilled! It does take patience since you need to make many small parts and assemble them, but if the children help with making the pieces, you’ll have it finished in no time.
Use large origami paper and you can even make a giant caterpillar.
Be sure to make an adorable caterpillar together and have fun playing with it!
A child wearing a helmet
Let me introduce a child wearing a kabuto (samurai helmet), perfect for the Tango no Sekku (Boys’ Festival).
You will need one sheet of origami paper for the helmet, one for the crest (kuwagata), eye stickers, cheek stickers, a pen, and glue.
If you don’t have stickers, you can draw them with a pen instead.
First, fold the helmet by matching the corners along the diagonal to make a crease, then mark the center point.
Fold along the mark, and use that as a guide for the next folds—it makes the process easier.
The kuwagata involves some small, detailed folds, but if you show an example, your child may be able to make it well.
Try using your favorite colors and drawing different faces to have fun with it.
Transforming shuriken
This is a transforming shuriken that lets you use different colors for the body and the lines.
Let’s make an origami piece boys will love, with cool colors and patterns.
Fold the origami paper along the center line twice, crease well, then collapse it.
Next, fold the top and bottom corners into triangles, flip it over, and fold the longer corner toward the center.
Open up the triangular section, offset it slightly to make a crease, then crease the inside of the triangle to complete one part.
Make four of these parts, then overlap two parts to form a shuriken shape.
Fold from the left down, then to the right, and finally fold the top corner down.
Insert the tabs from the back side of the origami, layer the other part on top, and repeat the same steps to finish.
Pteranodon paper airplane
Pteranodon was a dinosaur that appeared in the late Cretaceous period, and many of you have probably seen it in movies and the like.
It’s thought to have flown by riding updrafts like a glider, so an origami Pteranodon that can actually fly really captures its essence.
You can not only fold it but also fly it like a paper airplane, making this an origami you can enjoy twice.
Once it’s finished, it would be fun to have a flying contest with friends.
You can also draw a face on it if you like.
pickaxe
A pickaxe is a tool used to break rocks or dig through soil, and it also strongly evokes the image of carving out a path.
Let’s make a pickaxe that conveys that sense of determination using a single sheet of origami.
The shape is similar to the pickaxe that appears in Minecraft: fold the whole piece into a long, slender form, then shape the ends so they spread out to the left and right.
The key is to keep symmetry in mind while folding and decide on a thickness that makes it feel powerful.
It’s also a good idea to layer a different color afterward to make the handle stand out.
Mario: “Super Mushroom”
The Super Mushroom is an essential item for powering up Mario, and because it’s such a classic, it instantly brings to mind the fun of the series.
This piece shows how to recreate that Super Mushroom with origami, aiming for a cute, rounded look.
You’ll use two colors of origami paper: first, crease the red sheet into four equal sections, then attach a piece of light orange paper to one of the blocks before folding the shape.
It’s important to round the whole piece nicely and pay attention to the folding technique to create a three-dimensional feel.
Focusing on details like the mushroom’s pattern and facial parts can also be key to making it look more accurate.
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.
pinwheel
Why not try making a pinwheel with origami? A pinwheel is fun twice over—you get to make it and then play with it.
You don’t need scissors or glue, so give it a try.
The folding method is similar to the yakko-san, hakama, and trick boat models.
The key is to gently puff out the blades so they catch the wind and spin easily.
Attach it to a stick like a straw to finish it off so it spins well.
If you run while holding it, it spins beautifully, making it a great item for outdoor play!