![[For 4-5-year-olds] Folding is fun! A collection of January origami ideas to enjoy with preschoolers](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/pSbk_Qa5n28/maxresdefault.webp)
[For 4-5-year-olds] Folding is fun! A collection of January origami ideas to enjoy with preschoolers
The article I’d like to introduce features January origami to enjoy with preschoolers (middle year).
Since it’s January, there are ideas like mittens and snowmen—things children already know—but there might also be ideas they’ve never seen or heard of.
In those cases, it could be fun to look them up in an illustrated guide or read a book to learn more.
After deepening their understanding, trying to fold the origami can reveal a whole new kind of enjoyment! Let’s spark the curiosity and interest of middle-year preschoolers while having fun with origami!
[For Preschoolers (Age 4-5)] Folding is Fun! A Collection of January Origami Ideas to Enjoy with Preschoolers (1–10)
Easy with just one sheet! Snowman
The charm of this origami is how easy it is—you can make a snowman with just one sheet of white paper.
There are many small, detailed folds, so try tackling it together with your child.
Each step is simple, but because it involves lots of precise finger work, staying focused is important.
As you go, guide them with prompts like “This part is next,” or demonstrate each step so they can work with confidence.
At the end, draw the face with a pen or add patterns, and each snowman will have its own unique expression.
When you line up the finished pieces for display, you can clearly see how different their expressions are—even though they’re all snowmen—making them even more fun to look at.
Easy! Origami Snowman
This is an origami snowman you can make with simple steps.
Choose the color of your origami paper based on the hat you want the snowman to wear.
Once you’ve decided, place the paper with the colored side facing up and fold it in half by bringing the left and right edges together.
Next, fold it again by matching the top and bottom edges.
Then, using the second crease, make a step fold (accordion fold), and fold the two ends of the stepped section inward, opening them into triangles.
This creates a waist, giving you a two-tiered snowman.
Finally, tuck the remaining corners at the top and bottom inward to round the shape, and you’re done.
One corner will become the hat, so fold only one layer inward so that a triangle of the colored side appears on the snowman’s surface.
penguin
It’s said that Antarctic penguins are hardy even in the winter cold.
Here’s how to fold a penguin with origami.
After making a cross-shaped crease, fold the top corner toward the center to create a crease, pressing down as you fold while making sure no corners stick out.
Flip it over and fold the top left and right toward the center crease to form the angle of the penguin’s shoulders.
Turn it over again, and shape the penguin’s body along the central crease.
Fold the wing sections outward, adjust the overall shape, and you’re done.
Using light blue or darker origami paper to make different kinds of penguins is also recommended!
gloves
Here’s how to fold a mitten that’s perfect to make with preschoolers.
Fold the origami paper in half into a square twice to create a cross-shaped crease, then unfold.
Fold the bottom edge up to meet the center crease, and fold the left corner down into a triangle toward the inside.
When making the mitten for the other hand, fold down the right corner instead.
Open the bottom flap, then fold it up twice along the creases.
Flip it over, and fold both sides along the vertical crease so they angle slightly inward.
Fold the left and right corners toward the center crease, and fold the top corner down a little.
Spread the thumb section outward and fold it, then tuck the tip inside to finish.
Make two and connect them with yarn for a cute touch!
Long-tailed tit (Shima-enaga)
Let’s make a long-tailed tit, known for its round shape and fluffy wings, out of origami.
Prepare one sheet of black origami paper, fold it into a triangle twice to create creases.
Fold the triangular tip upward, then open it, puff it up, and squash it to form the bird’s wings.
The wings are the key feature of the long-tailed tit, so fold while checking the balance.
Gradually fold the corners to refine the shape and give the body a rounded look.
Finally, draw the face, such as the beak and eyes, to finish!
plum blossoms
January is the season when plum blossoms bloom, isn’t it? Let’s fold some origami and make a plum blossom.
Prepare one sheet of origami paper and fold it horizontally with the colored side facing inward.
Make a crease in the paper, then fold the lower-left corner toward the creased center.
Fold it back further to the left and right, and then fold the lower-right corner up to match the crease as well.
This is a key step, so fold carefully.
Fold both sides in a mountain fold, and on the front side—the triple-layered side—sketch a rounded half-arch.
Cut along the guideline with scissors, open it up, and your plum blossom is complete.
Give it a try!
Daruma
https://www.tiktok.com/@hoiku.labo/video/7186945461545143554Here’s how to fold a daruma that lets you enjoy a variety of expressions.
Fold the origami paper in half twice to make a square, creating a cross-shaped crease, then open it.
Fold the bottom side along the center crease, then fold the remaining three sides the same way to make creases, and open it again.
Fold three sides along the frontmost crease, and fold one side up by one square.
Next, flip it over and tuck the corners inward to round the shape; once the corners are gone, it’s complete! Draw any expression you like on the white area.
Make lots and use them for hanging decorations or as a garland—highly recommended!