Kids will love it! Easy origami ideas—great as gifts too!
How about creating a special moment with a moving origami gift that makes children’s eyes light up? Shake it and—pop! We’ll introduce origami ideas that look like ordinary paper crafts but are packed with playful surprises, like a cracker that makes a popping sound when you shake it, a top that spins smoothly, and cherry blossoms that bloom when sprinkled with water.
These moving origami creations are easy to make yet guaranteed to delight kids, perfect for birthdays and celebrations or even for a small everyday surprise.
Craft a heartfelt gift and enjoy a fun time together!
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Origami of Popular Characters, Creatures, and Foods (11–20)
cicada
When cicadas begin to sing, it really feels like summer has arrived, and their buzzing evokes the heat, doesn’t it? This piece is about recreating cicadas—an iconic insect of summer—with origami to get into the summer spirit.
Since the wings on their backs are a distinctive feature of cicadas, we’ll include that as well and craft the whole thing from a single sheet of origami paper.
Start by folding the paper into a triangle, then keep folding further; by opening up the corners, you’ll shape it into a cicada carrying wings on its back.
If you also use the white side on the back, it will look more three-dimensional, which I highly recommend.
jellyfish
https://www.tiktok.com/@mybtdr3m1/video/6991833806625836289Let’s make a jellyfish out of origami—a favorite with kids! First, fold into a triangle twice and open it, then fold into a square twice and open to make crease lines.
Fold along the creases and, once it’s a square, fold both sides to meet the vertical center line, and fold the top down a little.
Flip it over and fold the same way, then open it back to the original square.
Next, pinch the center of the paper and fold along the creases you just made.
With the opening facing down, tuck the layers inside; repeat on the other side.
Make inside reverse folds on both sides, and do the same on the back.
Finally, fold the corners to round the shape like a jellyfish, then snip slits with scissors to create the tentacles.
Fold the tentacles to give it a jellyfish look, and you’re done!
ice cream
Let’s make a delicious ice cream that’s perfect for summer.
We’ll use one sheet of origami paper to make the base ice cream.
For the scoops you stack on top, prepare pieces that are half the size of a standard origami sheet.
For the base, fold the paper in half by matching edge to edge, rotate it, and fold in half the same way again so that when you open it, you have a cross-shaped crease.
From there, continue folding along the creases.
Even if the folds aren’t super crisp, it will still turn out as a cute ice cream, so I think even younger children who find origami tricky can make it.
The scoops on top are also easy to fold, so you can make lots and have fun playing ice cream shop or stacking the scoops into a tall tower!
strawberry
Let’s make strawberries, a sweet-and-tart spring treat! Prepare a sheet of red origami paper, fold it into a triangle twice, then open the pocket and squash-fold it into a square on both sides.
Next, fold in the extra corners to shape it like a strawberry, and create the calyx at the top—done! Color the calyx with a green pen, add the strawberry seeds with a black pen, and it’s complete.
You could also try making white or pink strawberries, not just red ones.
Use them as part of a spring wall display or for pretend strawberry picking!
stag beetle
Let’s make a super cool stag beetle that appears in summer! Use one sheet of origami for the body, and two half-sheets (cut from one sheet) for the legs.
There are many steps, so thin origami paper is easier to work with because the creases are easier to see.
It might be a bit challenging, but it’s exciting to watch it gradually turn into a stag beetle as you fold.
Use glue or tape to attach the legs to the body.
Making a golden stag beetle with gold origami paper would look really cool too.
beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)
How about trying to make a rhinoceros beetle, the quintessential cool, strong, black bug? Take black origami paper and fold it inward like closing double doors to form the body.
The horn is a separate piece: use another sheet of black paper, shape it into a long, narrow strip, and sculpt the tip of the horn at the end.
Then combine the two parts and add eyes, and you’ve got an adorable rhinoceros beetle! It’s a seasonal origami idea that’s perfect for summer.
You might want to fold a stag beetle to go along with it, too.
croissant
Freshly baked and crispy bread is so delicious.
This time, I’ll show you how to fold a croissant out of paper! First, fold a sheet of origami paper into a triangle.
Open it up, then fold the top and bottom corners in toward the center crease.
Fold the left and right corners inward into small flaps.
Fold the paper in half along the center line, and keep tucking it in to form a croissant.
If you fold the left and right sides in a stepped, staircase-like way, you can represent the croissant’s rolled layers, making it look extra tasty! Making lots of them and playing pretend bakery would be fun too!