[Childcare] Make and play! Origami ideas
Origami plays a big role in daycares and kindergartens.
With just a single sheet, you can make all kinds of things—origami helps nurture children’s imagination, thinking skills, concentration, and fine motor skills.
It’s something you’ll definitely want to incorporate a lot into playtime.
So this time, we’re introducing ideas for origami you can make and play with.
Of course, we’ve included the classic airplane that everyone has folded at least once, as well as lots of unique ideas—like balloons and cameras—that spark kids’ curiosity.
After you finish your creations, set aside plenty of time to play so everyone can have a blast together.
We hope you find this helpful.
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[Childcare] Make-and-play! Origami ideas (61–70)
cup
Origami is fun just to make, but it’s even better when you can play with or use what you’ve made.
This cup is excellent because if you use water-repellent paper, you can actually use it as a real cup.
It also seems fun to use as a prop for pretend play.
First, fold the origami paper in half into a triangle.
Then fold the sides inward, leaving some width at the base.
Fold the small triangle at the top outward, and it’s done.
This cup is also cute and fun to use as a little snack holder.
smartphone
Some children may envy the smartphones that adults use every day.
In that case, why not make one out of origami so they can feel like they’re using a smartphone at preschool? Fold a sheet of origami paper in half and open it, then fold about 5 mm of each of the opposing edges, and fold them in toward the center crease.
Continue folding while making small cuts so it takes on a long, smartphone-like shape, then attach a screen piece made from another sheet of origami to finish.
Write the time on the screen or draw your favorite pictures and enjoy making your very own smartphone!
Tonton Sumo
The first one to topple after tapping the ring loses! Known as paper sumo, Ton-ton Sumo has long been a beloved game among Japanese children.
You can enjoy it with wrestlers made by drawing on construction paper or cardstock and folding them in half, but making them with origami is also recommended! After creasing along the diagonals, fold each corner to the center, then fold the corners in to the center again.
Flip it over and continue folding; finally, fold it vertically in half and adjust so it stands—your origami wrestler is complete.
Let’s tap and play inside a ring made from cardboard or within a taped-off square on a table using masking tape!
Paper Sumo (Tonton Paper Sumo)
Let’s play a nostalgic game: paper sumo! The video uses a ready-made paper sumo set, but you can also make one with origami.
Create wrestlers out of origami paper and use an empty box as the ring.
At the cue “Hakke-yooi, nokotta!” lightly tap the box to move your wrestler.
Depending on where and how hard you tap, the wrestlers may clash, topple over, or even go out of the ring.
The key to paper sumo is mastering the force and the way you move them—so gather everyone and give it a try!
Propeller
Do you remember the first piece of origami you ever folded? The memory might be a bit fuzzy, but I think everyone has folded a paper airplane at least once.
Watching a plane you made fly through the air—it was exciting, even moving, wasn’t it? So let me introduce an origami model that’s one step up from the paper airplane: the “propeller,” which some people call a “paper copter.” Once you make it, be sure to play with it together with friends.
In addition to the propeller shown in this video, there are various kinds of propellers and paper copters—like the spinning bamboo-copter type and a box-shaped type that spins a lot.
Have fun and give them all a try!
kaleidoscope
Let’s soothe ourselves with a colorful, flower-like origami toy.
Take eight parts made from two colors of origami paper and stack-and-fold them alternately.
Continue adding the remaining parts using the same pattern.
Once everything is connected, you’ll have a long, accordion-style strip.
Insert one end into the other, glue them together, and form a ring.
After it dries thoroughly, it’s complete.
If you push it from the inside to the outside, it will spin and change its appearance like a kaleidoscope—so beautiful to watch.
Try making it in different colors and shapes!
Origami ring
Let’s try making ring toss rings by combining parts made from origami.
Since the material is light, they’re easy to throw, and another key point is that you can create your ideal colorful rings depending on which colors of origami you use.
Mass-produce triangle-like pieces and connect them by inserting each piece into the gaps of the next.
It’s also important to crease firmly so the ring ends up sturdy.
For the ring toss target or post, paper cups or a plastic wrap core are recommended.
You might want to choose the post based on the size of the ring’s hole.
