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[Childcare] A Collection of Origami Ideas for Hinamatsuri: Let’s Make Them with Kids!

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I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

As the Hinamatsuri season approaches, nursery schools and kindergartens have more opportunities to enjoy making crafts with origami.

In addition to the Emperor and Empress dolls, there are many motifs you can create with origami, such as lanterns, diamond-shaped rice cakes, and peach blossoms.

In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of origami ideas perfect for Hinamatsuri.

We’ve collected projects suited to various ages and stages of development—from simple steps to more intricate ones that require a bit of fine work.

Be sure to use them in your childcare setting and enjoy Hinamatsuri!

[Childcare] Origami ideas for Hinamatsuri. Let’s make them with kids! (1–10)

[Ages 3 and up] The Five Court Musicians

Origami Five Court Musicians Hina Dolls Easy Folding Method – Origami Japanese Kimono Doll Tutorial (niceno1)

[Ages 3 and up] The Five Court Musicians

Gonin-bayashi refers to the people who play instruments and sing.

Let’s make the five musicians with origami.

Fold the origami paper into a triangle twice, open it, and fold the bottom corner up to meet the center.

Next, fold the bottom edge up along the center line, and fold the left and right corners slightly outward.

Rotate the paper 90 degrees clockwise, fold the bottom corner so it meets the midpoint between the center line and the top corner, then fold it back diagonally to the right along the center line.

Once you’ve folded the top corner in the same way, turn the paper over and fold the triangular sections in to meet the center line.

Finally, fold the pointed tip down about 1 centimeter and you’re done! If you make a hat from a small piece of cut black origami paper and place it on top, it will look even nicer.

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[Age 2] Hinamatsuri dolls you can also use for crafts

Hinamatsuri Craft: A childcare teacher explains easy origami steps to make Hina dolls! (For ages 2 and up)

[Age 2] Hinamatsuri dolls you can also use for crafts

Here’s an idea for making hina dolls with origami that also helps you practice folding straight! First, place the white side of the origami paper facing up, then fold the bottom edge upward, leaving the top third uncreased.

Rotate the paper 90 degrees clockwise and make the same fold, again leaving the top portion uncreased.

The white part will be the face and the colored part will be the kimono, so slightly fold the bottom corners of the kimono outward.

That completes the hina doll.

For the emperor doll (odairi-sama), fold back part of the face area to create a hat.

If you draw the faces and decorate the kimono with stickers, it will make an even lovelier Hina display.

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[For ages 3+] Easy foldable Hina dolls

[Nursery/Kindergarten] 5 Easy Spring Origami 🌷 [March / Hinamatsuri Crafts & Wall Decorations]

[For ages 3+] Easy foldable Hina dolls

Let’s make Hina dolls using washi-patterned origami! First, fold the origami paper into a triangle twice to make crease lines, then open it with the white side facing up.

Next, fold three of the four corners toward the center.

If you tuck the paper between the crease lines you made earlier, it will fold neatly.

Fold the remaining corner slightly outward, draw a face on the white part, and your Hina doll is complete! If you use blue-toned origami, it can be the male doll (Odairi-sama) too.

When using them as accents for wreaths or other crafts, try making them with small, cut pieces of origami paper.

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[Childcare] Hinamatsuri origami idea collection. Let’s make them with kids! (11–20)

Layered Hishi Mochi (Ages 4 and up)

[Hinamatsuri Origami] Easy Way to Fold Hishi-mochi [With Voice Commentary]

Layered Hishi Mochi (Ages 4 and up)

Here’s an idea for making hishimochi, an essential decoration for Hinamatsuri, using four sheets of origami paper! First, make the hishimochi layers with pink, white, and light green paper.

Fold each sheet into a triangle to create a crease, then open it up and fold two adjacent edges toward the center crease.

Fold the left and right corners toward the center to make creases, unfold them, then fold the corners in again along those new crease lines.

Next, fold the top and bottom corners together; that completes one hishimochi piece.

Take the remaining black origami paper, fold it in quarters to make a stand, and place it inside the slightly offset, stacked hishimochi pieces.

Fold the top corner down.

Finally, fold the top two corners of the hishimochi pieces down at an angle to finish!

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[Age 5] Peach Blossom

[Origami] Peach Blossom: How to Make an Origami “Peach Blossom.”

[Age 5] Peach Blossom

Hinamatsuri is also known as the Peach Festival, right? So here, I’d like to share a peach blossom craft idea! First, make a pentagon out of origami paper.

It might seem difficult, but if you follow the specified folds and then cut with scissors, it’s actually easy.

Once you have a pentagon, make crease lines by folding each corner as well as toward the center.

While lifting the corners, fold along the creases; if you can form a pinwheel-like shape, start gently shaping it into a flower from there.

The final steps involve some delicate work, but don’t rush—take it one step at a time with care.

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[Age 5] Golden Folding Screen

Hinamatsuri origami craft: How to make a folding screen with audio commentary ☆ Origami how to make a folding screen

[Age 5] Golden Folding Screen

Here’s an idea for a folding screen you can display behind the Hina dolls (the Empress and Emperor).

Prepare two sheets of gold origami paper and two sheets of black origami paper.

Fold about 2 cm along the top and left edges of one gold sheet.

Fold the second gold sheet the same way, but make sure it’s mirrored so that the two will be symmetrical when connected.

Once folded, make both gold sheets into accordion folds.

Next, place the black origami paper (which will form the frame) with the white side facing up, and layer a gold sheet on top.

Fold the black paper around the gold sheet so that the margins are even on all sides, then glue it in place.

Do the same with the other set to add the frame, and then connect the two panels.

Finally, fold the whole piece along the accordion fold lines to finish.

Just setting this up will make your Hina dolls look a step more elegant!

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[Age 5] Vivid Bonbori Decorations

[Hinamatsuri Origami] How to fold a flat bonbori (lantern) with voice commentary ☆ Origami Hinamatsuri tutorial

[Age 5] Vivid Bonbori Decorations

When it comes to Hinamatsuri decorations, bonbori lanterns are a must, right? Believe it or not, you can make bonbori out of origami too! This idea uses two sheets of origami paper to create three parts.

One sheet is used for the lantern shade.

First, crease it with a cross, then fold along those lines.

Most of the steps involve folding toward the center and then folding back.

The other sheet is cut in half; one half is used for the black sections at the top and bottom of the shade, and the other half is used for the stand.

The initial folds are the same as for the shade.

Once everything is folded, glue the parts together and you’re done! If you use washi-patterned origami paper for the shade, it will look even cuter.

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