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[For Kids] Easy Origami Ideas to Enjoy in May
May, with its pleasant climate, is a fun season full of events like Golden Week, Children’s Day, and Mother’s Day.
In this article, we’ll introduce origami ideas for children to enjoy in May.
We’ve gathered easy-to-fold projects for kids, including traditional favorites like carp streamers and samurai helmets, as well as flowers and creatures you can see in May.
There are plenty of origami designs perfect for Children’s Day decorations, so be sure to make some and display them!
[For Kids] Easy Origami Ideas to Enjoy in May (1–10)
Koinobori chopstick sleeve
A Boys’ Festival (Tango no Sekku) meal gathering.
How about making cute chopstick sleeves to brighten up the table? All you need is your favorite origami paper, a pen, and white round stickers.
If you don’t have stickers, you can just use a pen.
First, with the colored side facing inward, fold the origami paper in half vertically and horizontally.
Fold one edge along the crease, then flip it over.
After making creases along the center line, fold along them to shape it into a carp streamer (koinobori).
Once the shape is set, use the stickers or a pen to draw the face.
The steps are simple, so try making them with your child.
Koinobori chopstick rest
Having adorable koi-shaped streamers on the dining table makes the celebration even more festive.
Your child will surely love it, too.
This time, we’re introducing an easy-to-make koi streamer chopstick rest.
All you need is origami paper and a pen.
First, fold the paper in half vertically and horizontally to make crease lines, then fold one side and flip it over.
Fold it into quarters along the center line, fold the corners inward, and use a pen to draw original patterns such as eyes and scales.
Finally, overlap the paper at the mouth side, and you’ll have a three-dimensional, freestanding chopstick rest.
Give it a try!
A child wearing a helmet
Let me introduce a child wearing a kabuto (samurai helmet), perfect for the Tango no Sekku (Boys’ Festival).
You will need one sheet of origami paper for the helmet, one for the crest (kuwagata), eye stickers, cheek stickers, a pen, and glue.
If you don’t have stickers, you can draw them with a pen instead.
First, fold the helmet by matching the corners along the diagonal to make a crease, then mark the center point.
Fold along the mark, and use that as a guide for the next folds—it makes the process easier.
The kuwagata involves some small, detailed folds, but if you show an example, your child may be able to make it well.
Try using your favorite colors and drawing different faces to have fun with it.
carnation
When you think of May, many people probably think of Mother’s Day.
Besides giving a gift for Mother’s Day, why not make a carnation out of origami that would look stylish with a message attached as an accent to the present? The flower part can be made from a single sheet of origami paper without cutting, yet the result is three-dimensional and very cute.
It’s also recommended to attach a message card to the stem to express your everyday gratitude.
Making carnations in various colors and arranging them into a bouquet might be a nice touch too.
Kabuto helmet-themed money envelope
For those thinking of giving children or grandchildren some pocket money for Boys’ Day (Tango no Sekku), how about a kabuto (samurai helmet) money envelope made with a single sheet of origami? Prepare one sheet of origami paper in a pattern you like, then fold it in half vertically and horizontally to crease.
Open it once, fold in half along one crease, then fold in half again to match that crease.
Rotate the paper, and fold the triangular ends to align with the vertical crease.
Turn it over, fold each side in by a quarter to form the helmet shape.
Square it up, apply glue, and it’s done.
Besides pocket money, slipping in a little note to give as a gift will surely be appreciated.
kashiwa mochi (rice cake wrapped in oak leaves)
When it comes to wagashi for Children’s Day, kashiwa-mochi is the classic choice.
Let’s make kashiwa-mochi with origami and enjoy the seasonal feel.
You can create two versions: one that uses scissors and one that doesn’t.
For the oak leaf part of the kashiwa-mochi, folding the paper into fine pleats gives it the right look, so take your time with the delicate work.
The mochi inside peeks out slightly as the white back side of the leaf’s origami.
It’s fascinating that you can make something so three-dimensional and delicious-looking from a square sheet of paper.
If you layer two sheets front and back, you could even make sakura-mochi.
Simple koi-shaped streamer
Here’s an origami carp streamer (koinobori) idea that only takes six folds to complete! There’s a step where you tuck the tail fin inward, but it’s very easy—give it a try.
First, with the colored side facing up, fold the left side inward by about 1 cm.
Next, fold the bottom up so the paper is divided into thirds, then fold the top down to the back.
Fold the right edge to meet the top edge, open it back up, and reverse fold along the crease to tuck it inside.
Flip the paper over, fold the right edge to meet the top edge the same way, and you’re done! If the white back side bothers you, you can make two and glue them together.
