It moves! You can play with it! Fun origami. How to make origami toys.
Origami is one of those essential activities in early childhood care: it helps develop children’s dexterity and concentration, and lets them experience the joy and sense of achievement that comes from completing a project.
This time, we’ll show you how to make moving toys using origami.
We’re focusing on toys you can make using only origami paper, so there’s very little to prepare—another nice bonus.
You’ll find lots of origami toys with unique, kid-pleasing movements that will spark their curiosity and keep them fully engaged.
Pick the ones that catch your eye, make them, and have fun playing with them!
- [Childcare] Let's make toys you can play with using origami!
- [Childcare] Make and play! Origami ideas
- Simple origami for kids: cute, playable origami ideas
- [Nursery/Kindergarten] Crafts you can play with after making them
- Easy to make! DIY ideas for Whack-a-Gator
- [Childcare] Today’s Fun Origami Play
- [For 5-year-olds] Let’s make origami! A collection of fun folding ideas
- Origami ideas boys will want to make!
- [Age 2] Summer Fun! Simple Origami Toys Perfect for Indoor Play
- [Childcare] Recommended for toddlers! Toy ideas you can make and play with
- Cute Origami Ideas for Girls
- [For 4-5-year-olds] Folding is fun! A collection of January origami ideas to enjoy with preschoolers
- Handmade games: DIY craft ideas you can make and play
It moves! You can play with it! Fun origami. How to make origami toys (61–70)
Infinite spin
Let’s make a toy that you can spin endlessly like an origami kaleidoscope—an Infinite Spinner! Prepare six strips of construction paper.
Using two colors—three strips of each—makes it look extra cute! Glue the ends together at a 90-degree angle, then fold the papers over each other alternately.
When a strip gets short, connect another strip and keep repeating the steps.
Once everything is connected, trim off any excess with scissors.
Glue the end faces together, and you’re done! The process is very simple, so why not make one as a toy for your child?
Rabbit BOX
Let’s use it to hold sweets and small items! Here are some ideas for a Bunny Box.
All you need is origami paper in your favorite colors or patterns, a pen, and glue.
It’s an origami idea that’s both practical and cute.
Its perky, straight-up ears are a distinctive and very charming feature.
Once finished, the bunny box is perfect for storing treats or trinkets and also makes a nice gift.
You can draw a face with a pen or decorate it with stickers to give it even more personality.
Give it a try!
Paku-Paku Zaurus
Let’s make a cute Pakupaku-saurus with a mouth that opens and closes! First, fold the origami paper in half into a triangle twice and open it to create a cross-shaped crease.
Next, fold all four corners toward the center, flip it over, and again fold all four corners toward the center.
When you open the triangular sections, you’ll see creases; fold all four lower sections up along these lines and unfold them to form a frame-like shape.
Once done, flip it over and fold the top and bottom toward the center, then flip it over again.
Place it vertically, open the top section, gently press down from above to make a square shape, and fold the bottom section the same way.
When you open it, it will look like a mouth; slip your fingers in from the back and it’s complete.
Feel free to draw the face however you like!
Heart-Pounding Single-Log Bridge Game
I’ll show you how to fold a balance-bridge game you can make and play with origami.
You’ll use one full sheet of origami paper and a quarter-size piece.
First, fold the full sheet into a triangle twice and unfold.
Fold both side corners toward the center three times.
Unfold everything, rotate the paper 90 degrees so the creases run vertically.
Fold it in the same way three times, then flip it over and, using two creases at a time as guides, add diagonal creases.
Do the same from the opposite direction, then accordion-fold along the creases.
On the back side, open it so that horizontal walls are formed—this completes the main body.
Next, make a ball with the quarter-size piece of paper.
Cut it in half and crumple it into a ball; gold or silver origami paper is easier to shape.
Place the ball at one end of the bridge and flick it toward the other end—that’s the game! Give it a try and have fun.
Infinite Tile Breaking
Do you know about tile breaking? It’s when you swing your fist down toward the center of a tile to break it, but perhaps not many people have actually tried it.
So this time, I’d like to introduce how to make an infinite tile-breaking origami that lets you experience tile breaking with paper.
Make sure to crease firmly and fold carefully.
When finished, the tile looks like a single tile from above, but the bottom part is split into two, so you can enjoy breaking the tile over and over.
If you use gray origami paper, it will look even more realistic!