Enjoy in January! Origami ideas for kids
January brings the big event of New Year’s, and many children are surely looking forward to it.
The New Year makes not only kids but also adults feel fidgety and excited.
In this article, we’ve put together origami ideas that are perfect for the New Year.
We’ll introduce easy origami ideas for children.
These are all ideas that even kids who aren’t confident with origami can enjoy, so try them together with parents or friends.
They’re also great fun when kids get bored during family or relatives’ gatherings.
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Enjoy in January! Origami Ideas for Kids (11–20)
kagami mochi (traditional Japanese New Year rice cake decoration)
When it comes to New Year’s origami, kagami mochi is a classic.
This design is easy enough for even small children to fold.
It’s perfect for passing the time over winter break and for enjoying together when the whole family gathers.
Since it doesn’t use scissors or glue, it’s safe and lets all generations join in with peace of mind.
Make it with colorful origami paper and it’s sure to bring a smile every time you see it.
Hang the finished kagami mochi on the wall to feel the arrival of the new year.
It creates a festive New Year’s atmosphere, and the kids are sure to love it.
snowman
Origami snowmen are a fun winter activity.
They’re easy to fold, so kids and adults can enjoy making them together.
Use white paper for the body, and colored paper for the scarf and hat to create an adorable snowman.
Drawing the face is fun, too.
If the whole family makes them together, even cold days will be filled with smiles.
If there’s downtime during New Year’s gatherings, how about everyone making snowmen? Through origami, it seems like children’s concentration can improve as well.
The materials are simple and accessible, so it would likely be appreciated at children’s clubs and nursing homes, too.
Give it a try to make some fun winter memories.
mumps
Speaking of New Year’s, Otahuku (the “Otafuku” smiling lady) is a classic, isn’t it? This piece is an origami project that creates just the base of the Otafuku—the face and hair.
After that, you can draw the face or cut out red paper into circles and paste them on.
If you want to have fun with children, it’s also great to prepare the parts and play fukuwarai.
If you’re making the parts, scissors will be used, so please be extremely careful when working with small children.
It might be a good idea to divide roles—have the child make the base and the parent make the parts.
mandarin orange
Origami tangerines are surprisingly easy to fold.
Just fold it into a triangle, then fold the corners along the creases, and you’re done.
Once it’s finished, you might add fine patterns with a pen—this brings out a realistic, charming look.
It’s also fun to change the size and enjoy different variations with the whole family.
They’re perfect for indoor play during the cold season, and you can even use them for New Year’s decorations.
The orange color gives off a wintery vibe, so kids are sure to love it.
When family and relatives get together, try this origami as an activity everyone can enjoy.
folding fan
When it comes to January, crafts with a Japanese flair are a perfect fit.
That’s why I recommend this folding fan.
Using gold or silver origami paper like in the video makes it instantly eye-catching.
The version made from a single sheet of origami, as shown in the video, is simple and great, but if you want a more polished finish, try attaching different origami paper to the handle area or both ends.
It doesn’t take much effort, so even small children can make this origami without any trouble!
snow rabbit
How about making paper snow bunnies to brighten up the New Year together? It’s a simple craft: roll up newspaper to form a bunny shape and add ears and eyes with white paper.
It’s a lovely project for the whole family—fun for kids, and easy even for those who aren’t confident with origami or for older adults.
Display your finished snow bunnies to bring a festive New Year’s atmosphere to any room.
They’re perfect for family gatherings or when the kids get bored.
Why not make some cute snow bunnies to boost the excitement of the New Year?
Cute origami shimenawa wreath
Recommended for those who want to make it with children, too! Let’s use origami you have at home to create a wreath like a shimenawa.
You’ll need origami in various colors, glue or double-sided tape, and scissors.
After learning how to make a basic shimenawa-style wreath from a video, it’s great that you can freely enjoy decorating it by combining flowers, zodiac animals, and more.
It’s wonderful to make one wreath together as a family, but it can also be fun for each person to make their own, filled with their personal touches and feelings.
Olaf
Olaf from the movie Frozen.
He’s a unique character whose carrot nose is his charm point.
Please make this modeled after the round Olaf that appears in the game LINE: Disney Tsum Tsum.
First, fold the origami paper into a triangle, crease it, and open it.
Fold the two left edges to the crease, then turn the pointed end downward and fold up the bottom corner.
Using the edge of the triangle you just folded up as a guide, crease the bottom section from both sides as if standing it up.
Unfold the bottom corner, open it, and use the creases to squash it into an upside-down diamond shape.
Fold the top corner down to meet the tip of the diamond, then fold both top edges inward so the top rim aligns with the center line.
Fold the newly formed left and right corners inward to refine the shape, and make a step fold at the top corner to create the hair.
Flip the paper over, fold up the diamond section about halfway, and attach the legs made from a smaller piece of origami paper to the back.
You’re done.
Mini New Year’s wreath made with origami
I want to make this with kids! It’s a New Year’s wreath you can create using origami.
Since it’s made from origami, it seems fun for the whole family to work together to make the parts and assemble them.
You’ll need 16 sheets of origami paper cut to quarter size, decorative items like mizuhiki cords, and glue or adhesive.
Origami in red, traditional Japanese patterns, and a touch of gold works well.
Its mini size makes it easy to display anywhere, which is a nice plus! You can also adjust the origami size to make a larger wreath.
kimono
When I see people wearing kimono for their first shrine visit of the New Year, it gives me a fresh and solemn feeling for the season.
Let’s fold an origami kimono that’s perfect for such a festive New Year’s day.
By the way, it’s said that kimonos with a touch of brilliance are suitable for the New Year.
Choosing origami paper with vibrant patterns or textures might be a good idea.
Displaying kimonos made from various patterned papers will make your room feel even more like the New Year’s holiday, don’t you think? In January, as you welcome the New Year, be sure to make kimono—the traditional Japanese garment—together with the children.
