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!
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It moves! You can play with it! Fun origami. How to make origami toys (21–30)
Wiggly snake
Let’s make a wiggly, stretchable, and bendable snake out of origami! Prepare 30 or more sheets of origami paper—use as many as you like.
The more pieces you connect, the more impressive your snake will be! There are a lot of repetitive folding steps, but the folds themselves are simple, so it should be fun to make.
Without using glue, you’ll connect the pieces by tucking the folded parts into each other and stacking them.
Make parts in various colors and assemble them in any order you like.
Once it’s finished, try stretching it out, twisting it into a circle, or shaping it however you want and have fun playing with it!
Paper Sumo (Tonton Paper Sumo)
This video introduces how to make sumo wrestlers out of origami.
You can also enjoy a little hand game together with the origami.
Place the wrestlers you made on a table or a cardboard box, tap-tap to create vibrations, and try to topple your opponent.
As long as you have some origami paper, it’s a quick, space-saving game you can play anywhere, even while you’re waiting out and about.
If you choose a base with a hollow interior, like cardboard, you’ll need to control your strength more, which makes it even more exciting! Try different ways to play and have fun!
It moves! You can play with it! Fun origami. How to make origami toys (31–40)
Falling pinwheel
Let me introduce a pinwheel that spins as it drops.
First, fold the paper in half, open it, and squash-fold it into a triangle.
Fold with the triangular section as the center.
For the spinning blades, open the four folded corners out to 90 degrees.
This is the key point.
Finally, adjust them so they are precisely at right angles.
Once finished, you’ll have a pinwheel that falls while spinning.
If you make it with different colors of origami paper, it becomes a colorful pinwheel and is really fun! Please give it a try.
clicky mouse
Would you like to make a mysterious moving origami mouse that clicks, even though it’s made of paper? Please prepare one sheet of origami paper and some double-sided tape.
Some steps are a bit tricky, but the finished result is really fun, so give it a try.
The completed mouse makes a clicking sound as its upper and lower teeth snap together.
If it doesn’t make a nice sound, try changing the angle of the “lips” or puffing it up to find the angle that produces a good click.
It’s also fun to make them with friends and play them like castanets.
If you make a lot, you can enjoy playing in an ensemble.
paper airplane
Among origami, the classic paper airplane has been around for ages.
There are so many ways to fold a paper airplane.
They range from simple methods to very detailed and complex ones, so try folding different types to match your child’s age and interests.
It’s also fun to fold freely and add your own personal touch.
The great thing about paper airplanes is that you can play with them after folding.
You can play alone, or have fun with a group by competing to see whose goes the farthest.
Try experimenting with different ideas as you fold.
origami fan
Let’s make an origami fan using an accordion fold! Prepare three sheets of origami paper, two chopsticks for the handle, glue, and a rubber band.
Fold each of the three sheets into an accordion, then glue the ends together.
Attach chopsticks to the glued ends, and you’re done! The chopsticks will tend to spread open, so secure them with a rubber band.
For small children, it’s safer to use rounded items like popsicle sticks instead of chopsticks.
Beat the summer heat with your cute handmade fan!
A fun origami that snaps and bites
This is a fun origami that gives you the sensation of being playfully nipped when you press down from above with your finger.
We’ll make it using a quarter of a standard-size origami sheet.
Fold it twice to form a square.
Open it once, then fold the sides to make a triangle and collapse along the creases.
Up to this point, it’s similar to how you make a crane.
Now open it up and make four small cuts.
From there, continue folding, using the crease lines as your guide.
The key to a neat finish is making crisp, firm creases.
It’s a project that children and adults alike can enjoy—you might find it surprisingly addictive! Try making lots in bright, colorful papers!
