Lovely childcare

It moves! You can play with it! Fun origami. How to make origami toys.

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.

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!

It moves! You can play with it! Fun origami. How to make origami toys (21–30)

Hoppy Frog

[Origami] How to Make a Jumping Frog – Easy! [With Voice Commentary] Origami Jumping Frog / Grandma’s Origami

Hoppy Frog

Here’s how to make a jumping origami frog that springs off in unexpected directions.

You can create this bouncy toy using only origami paper—no rubber bands or batteries—so it’s fun for small children and for older adults who used to play a lot with origami.

It may look complicated at first, but if you fold it step by step, you’ll finish without trouble, so please give it a try.

As you get closer to the end, the shape starts to look more and more like a frog, which is really cute.

Once you’ve finished folding, draw the eyes and you’re done.

Flick its backside with your finger and watch your toy frog hop with a little “boing!”

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A fun origami that snaps and bitesNEW!

[Origami] This is addictive! A funny origami trap that snaps and bites 🤣✨

A fun origami that snaps and bitesNEW!

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!

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Spinning paper toyNEW!

[Moving Origami] How to Make a Simple Spinning Paper Toy: Three Fast-Spinning Blades ♪ Various Ways to Play ◇ Origami Paper Toy Craft Easy Tutorial

Spinning paper toyNEW!

You’ll definitely get hooked watching it spin around and around! First, cut a 4 cm × 15 cm sheet of origami paper lengthwise into three long strips.

Fold each strip in half at the center.

Start by crossing two strips at a right angle, then thread the remaining strip through the loop created where the first two intersect at a right angle.

Pull all the ends tight to secure them, adjust the shape, and it’s done! Just drop it, and it will spin as it falls.

Try dropping it from different heights and have fun!

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Moving is fun! Spring toyNEW!

[Playable Origami♪] Is this alive!? How to make a spring toy♪ Strange-moving origami 💙 How to make spring toys Origami

Moving is fun! Spring toyNEW!

Spring toys with mysterious motions are so captivating that you can keep playing with even store-bought ones forever, right? Let’s make that kind of spring toy with origami.

You’ll need one regular square sheet of origami and another sheet cut in half.

Cut each into long, narrow strips so you have a total of 12 pieces.

Glue two strips together at a right angle, flip them over, and fold them back and forth in an alternating pattern.

When the folding sections start getting short, extend them by gluing on more strips to continue.

The key is to make crisp creases as you fold.

Once you’ve used all 12 strips, you’re done! Try wobbling it or pressing it like a switch to play.

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Shape-shifting! Magic TriangleNEW!

[Origami Playable Toy] Easy Origami You Can Play With—A shape-changing origami you can transform over and over? Origami Push-Pop Magic Triangle [UniOri]

Shape-shifting! Magic TriangleNEW!

Let’s make a very mysterious push-pop magic triangle out of origami that can change shape over and over again! We’ll use three colors of origami paper, so prepare your favorite colors.

Fold one sheet of origami paper twice to make a triangle, then fold the top and bottom corners in two places toward the center.

Flip it over, fold the sides toward the center line, fold the left and right corners inward, and form a parallelogram shape.

A key tip for success is to crease the square in the middle firmly along its diagonals.

Make three of these, then combine them to finish.

Thanks to its ever-transforming nature, it’s a fascinating toy you’ll want to keep touching forever.

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