![[For Kids] Easy Dragon Origami Collection](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/dDUYdXnEkiA/maxresdefault.webp)
Dragons that appear in all kinds of works—like anime and movies—are very popular with kids.
They’re imaginary creatures with a cool look and striking fire-breathing scenes, and they can conjure up all sorts of images.
Some of you might want to try origami but feel that, because of the wings and the overall shape, it seems a bit difficult to fold.
So in this article, we’ve rounded up a collection of easy, kid-friendly dragon origami ideas.
Give dragon origami a try—you can even have fun by drawing your own decorations on them!
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[For Kids] Easy Origami Dragons Collection (1–10)
A dragon flying in the sky
This is an origami dragon with rippling wings that look as if they’re flapping—truly eye-catching.
Up to a certain point, the folds are the same as for a crane, but just before opening into a diamond shape, make a small fold on the triangular section to create a crease, then unfold everything once.
After that, fold along the creases into a pentagon-like shape, and while opening, tidy it into a diamond.
From there, form the wings, head, and body by folding each part.
Open the wings and use accordion folds to create a wavy effect, adjusting the spread as you like, and you’ll have a dynamic, lifelike dragon.
Enjoy watching your three-dimensional dragon take shape as you fold.
Flapping Dragon
This is an origami dragon you can play with—pull its tail and the wings flap! Up to a certain point, you follow the same steps as folding a crane.
Once it becomes a diamond shape, make small folds on the triangular sections to create crease lines, then open everything back up.
Pinch and collapse the center to shape it into a dragon, and add motion to the wings with accordion folds to finish.
The tail is twisted as well, giving it a more dynamic look.
The wavy wings and jagged tail can also be incorporated into simpler dragon designs, so give it a try!
Child dragon
This is an origami dragon characterized by short limbs and a long tail.
Why not try making a dragon you can stand up and display once it’s finished? Using a single sheet of origami paper, fold it step by step, then shape the face, limbs, and tail at the end.
When it comes to layers of paper that are tricky to fold, it’s a good idea for a teacher or guardian to lend a hand.
Finally, draw eyes in the center of the face with a pen to complete a cute baby dragon.
By changing the colors and patterns, you can create all kinds of different dragons with this origami.
A dragon with a long tail
Let’s try making a dragon out of origami that looks like it’s about to soar up to the heavens! The key to this method is to make the whole figure appear wavy.
Focus on the neck, ears, face area, body, and tail, layering folds and tucking folds inward to add a wrinkled texture and sense of motion.
There are many fine steps and it may look complex, but what matters most here is a “moderate looseness”—folding intuitively while keeping overall balance in mind.
Don’t get too hung up on making every crease perfect.
Instead, try moving forward without overthinking it, like, “If I make this part a bit more wrinkly, it might look more realistic!”
four-legged dragon
Three-dimensional dragon origami is recommended for children who are good at origami, those who enjoy detailed work, and kids who are more into “cool” than “cute”! Up to a point, the steps are the same as folding a crane, but after that there are somewhat complex procedures to create a 3D effect.
This dragon’s features are its four legs and large wings! Thanks to its sturdy, dinosaur-like legs, it remains very stable even with big wings attached.
It also sounds fun to make the dragons battle each other like in paper sumo.
Baby dragon
Let’s make a small baby dragon with outstretched wings using a single sheet of origami! Fold the paper into a triangle, then open the pocket and fold it into a square.
Proceed as you would when folding a crane, and when you’ve folded one side into a diamond shape, leave the other side as is.
From there, as you continue folding, create a relatively large head, a plump body, wings that are large in proportion to the body, and short legs.
Finally, spread the accordion-folded wings to a suitable width, and you’ll have a tiny dragon that looks as if it’s practicing for takeoff.
Front-facing dragon
We’ll show you how to fold a front-facing dragon with an adorably curled tail that sticks out to the side.
Fold the left and right edges of the origami paper toward the center line, then shape it like a boat by bringing the top and bottom toward the center.
Continue with detailed folds so the top becomes the face with horns and the bottom becomes the body with a tail.
Flip it to the front, draw in the facial features, and you’re done.
The plump, rounded shape is super cute, and by adding gentle curves to the horns and tail, you can even transform it into various other animals.