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 Toys That Move and Can Be Played With (11–20)
A bat flapping its wings
Bats are nocturnal animals that hide in places like caves during the day and are active at night.
This origami bat flaps its wings when you press it with your finger.
After cutting the origami paper in half, use just one of the halves to fold.
Lightly creasing certain parts with a pinch of your fingers is the key to creating the wing-flapping motion.
Insert your index finger to shape the wings, make firm creases on both sides, and once you’ve formed the movable wing section, it’s complete! When you make it move, don’t use too much force—gently flap the wings.
paper airplane
Origami that you can make and play with is popular among children.
How about making a paper airplane out of origami and giving it as a gift? There are many ways to fold a paper airplane, but this time we’ll share an idea for one that flies smoothly.
All you need is a rectangular sheet of paper and a stapler.
The steps are simple, so it’s great that you can make it quickly with things you already have at home! After giving it as a present, you can have fun flying the paper airplanes together or folding them together.
Definitely give it a try!
finger trap
Let’s make a finger trap that snaps and “eats” your finger when you press the center with your finger! Fold the origami paper into a triangle twice, then squash the pocket to form a square.
With the opening facing down, fold the lower left and right edges to align with the center line.
Do the same on the other side.
Open all the folds and return the paper to its original shape, then make a slit in the middle of each edge.
Using the slits and the crease lines, form a shape like a throwing star (shuriken), then flip the paper over and fold the four pointed parts inward.
Finally, use the crease lines so that the center section pops up into a mountain fold, and you’re done! Drawing a face on it makes it look more creature-like, which is highly recommended!
umbrella
@kodomokosaku I tried making an umbrella using origami. You can open and close it 😳 I’ve posted a slightly slower version on YouTube.Origami folding instructions#diygirlOrigami play#AtHomePlay
♬ Next Generation Girls Pop Rock Anime Song(189386) – DIGM
How about trying a pop-up origami idea that opens and closes and moves just like the real thing—an umbrella? Make lots of creases as you would when folding a crane, so it keeps its three-dimensional shape when opened.
Prepare two of these folded pieces; add cuts or other tweaks to one of them, then stack them and glue them together once they’re done.
Finally, thread a pipe cleaner through the center to serve as the handle, and you’re finished! There are plenty of fine steps, but the sense of accomplishment after you make it is all the greater.
Pac-Pac Fish
It’s a snap-up fish you can make and play with.
This idea folds a fish with a wide-open mouth.
Just by changing the colors and the shape of the eyes you add later, you can create fish with lots of personality.
The biggest feature of this idea is the movable mouth.
Lightly press the fish’s wide-open mouth to make it open and close.
It looks like it’s talking or eating.
It only takes about 4 minutes, so it’s fun to make a bunch and line them up.
Also works as a finger puppet! Shima-enaga
The long-tailed tit, known as the “snow fairy,” lives in Hokkaido.
Its plush-like round shape and beady eyes are truly adorable.
This is an origami piece inspired by that bird.
Amazingly, it can also be used as a finger puppet—an idea kids will love.
First, fold the origami paper into a triangle, then fold the left and right corners inward so they overlap at the center.
Flip the paper top to bottom, then fold the left and right corners back to form the wings.
Fold down the top corner, which becomes the head, to round it out, and tuck the bottom triangle inward to finish.
Use a pen to draw the wing patterns and face as the final touch.
Origami Toys That Move and Can Be Played With (21–30)
Spiraling fall
Let’s make fluttering falling origami.
You’ll need one sheet of origami paper and a pair of scissors.
Here’s how: Fold the paper in half, then cut it in half with the scissors.
Take one of the halves and fold it in half horizontally.
Fold it in half once more, then unfold it, and cut along the vertical crease halfway down.
Fold only the fluttery side upward, then fold that same section once to the side.
Next, fold the whole piece vertically once; along the new vertical crease, make another cut halfway down, just like before.
Flip it over, and fold both top corners of the uncut section into triangles.
Finally, fold the fluttery parts so they switch to opposite sides—and you’re done! Give it a try and have fun!