For New Year’s! A collection of fun origami ideas to make, decorate, and play with in childcare
Where do you start when preparing to welcome the New Year at a daycare or kindergarten? In this article, we’ve gathered origami ideas for the New Year that children can enjoy together.
From classic motifs like daruma dolls, lion dances, and kagami mochi to crafts that lead to play—such as playing fukuwarai with an otafuku mask or writing wishes on ema plaques—these are all projects that extend the fun after folding! There are no difficult steps, and we focus on activities that small hands can try with an adult’s help.
Once finished, use them as wall decorations or display them in the classroom to boost the New Year atmosphere!
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For the New Year! A collection of fun origami ideas for childcare—make, decorate, and play (11–20)
celebratory crane
Celebratory cranes are indispensable for adding color to the New Year’s table.
They symbolize longevity and marital harmony, and are considered a lucky motif.
It’s also a great idea for everyone to make these festive cranes together with origami for the New Year.
Choose origami paper with a beautiful pattern and give it a try.
You can start by following the basic steps for folding a crane.
Partway through, you’ll create large wings, which makes the process a bit more complex, but if you crease firmly, it will come out beautifully.
Finally, spread the wings wide, and your dazzling celebratory crane is complete.
battledore (a traditional Japanese decorative paddle used for New Year, also used in the game hanetsuki)
In the old days, it was popular to play with hagoita paddles and shuttlecocks during the New Year.
For older people, it’s probably a nostalgic pastime.
Hagoita are known as protective charms for girls.
Displaying them at New Year is said to ward off evil and promote good health.
Let’s make a hagoita out of origami to wish for children’s healthy growth.
It’s recommended to use bright, decorative origami paper for the hagoita.
The paddle part comes together quickly by folding it over several times.
Then attach the handle.
You can also fold the shuttlecock out of origami, shaping it as you go for an easy finish.
It makes a very cute decoration, and displaying it in your room will let you fully enjoy the New Year atmosphere.
How to fold a spinning top that twirls!NEW!
Here’s an idea for a colorful, well-spinning top made with three sheets of origami paper.
You’ll make the outer body, the inner body, and the handle.
The outer part follows the same steps as the “deceiver boat” up to a point.
After making one boat shape on both the top and bottom, open up those corners and squash them to change the shape from a square to a diamond.
Fold the four corners that lie between the diamond’s points outward, then fold the diamond’s points inward.
For the inner part, do the “cushion fold” three times, flipping the paper over after each fold.
For the handle, do the cushion fold three times without flipping, then make a mountain fold along the diagonal.
Finally, press all four edges tightly inward, and it’s done.
Combine the parts to complete a single spinning top.
How to fold the panels of a traditional workNEW!
This is how to fold a spinning top you can make just by punching a hole in the center of a traditional “menko” piece and inserting a toothpick.
First, place the origami paper with the white side facing up and fold it in half.
Fold the left and right edges so they meet the top and bottom edges.
Crease it into a square by aligning the corners with each other.
Make a second identical piece.
Place the second piece on top of the first, crossing them, and tuck the corners into the gaps to complete the menko.
Make a small hole in the center of the menko with an awl or gimlet, and finally insert a toothpick to finish!
Let’s blow and play! How to fold a blow-top (spinning top you spin by blowing)NEW!
This is a fun blow-top origami that spins when you blow on it.
First, prepare two square sheets of origami paper, and place one with the colored side facing down.
Fold it in half into a triangle, then fold it into a triangle once more.
Open it up, then fold it in half into a square and continue with the “zabuton” (cushion) fold.
Using the closed side as the axis, fold up the left and right edges on both sides.
Fold down the triangles on the two faces.
Make two of these and fit them together.
Try blowing on it with a “fuu—.” Blow strongly or gently and enjoy the differences in how it spins!
How to fold a spinning top using two sheets of origami paperNEW!
Here’s how to fold a spinning top that twirls with just a light touch.
First, fold into a triangle twice to make crease lines.
Fold all four corners to the center to set the creases.
Turn the paper over so a corner faces you, then fold that front corner up to the top crease.
Open it and turn to the front, then use the “Kannon” fold to make guiding creases.
Fold the corners along the creases so they overlap into a square.
Shape it into a three-dimensional form like a spinning top—this completes the shaft.
Using another sheet of origami paper, start from the “zabuton” fold to make the body.
Finally, stack the two pieces together and you’re done!
kotatsu
Here’s an idea for making a kotatsu out of origami.
A kotatsu—often seen as a symbol of cozy family time—can make you forget the chill of winter.
If you craft one with origami, you can enjoy the process with your children while creating warm memories together.
Start by folding a basic kotatsu, then add tangerines or little animals to make it even more fun.
Because origami uses the fingertips, it’s perfect for nurturing children’s concentration and imagination.
On cold days, why not spend time enjoying kotatsu-themed origami?
mandarin orange
The tangerine origami is done in no time—just fold it into a triangle and fold the corners along the creases! It’s also nice to draw fine patterns with a pen.
If you add eyes and a mouth, you’ll get an adorable character-like tangerine.
Changing the size so everyone in the family can enjoy different variations sounds fun, too.
Around New Year’s, it’s also recommended to place it on top of kagami mochi origami! The orange color gives a wintry feel, so kids are sure to love it.
When family and relatives gather, definitely give it a try as an origami activity everyone can enjoy together.
Two-colored Crane
The “Two-Color Crane” is perfect for celebrating the New Year with a lucky decoration! Make it in red and white and you’ll have a splendid good-luck charm.
All you need is a single sheet of origami paper.
Just a slight tweak to the standard crane fold and you’re done! When you step away from the fixed idea of “this is the only way to fold a crane,” you can create something this wonderful.
Make lots of them and place them in your living room or entryway to instantly boost the New Year mood.
Give it a try with your family!
Mount Fuji
As a craft to welcome a heartwarming New Year, origami depicting Mt.
Fuji can be a wonderful choice for families.
This New Year–themed origami brings people together, sparks children’s creativity, and encourages parent–child communication.
What’s more, it’s delightful that older adults can easily join in without needing advanced techniques.
In addition to soothing adults, it also makes good use of children’s idle time—through making Mt.
Fuji origami, they can develop concentration and fine motor skills.
We recommend this origami activity, which can leave you feeling as refreshed as if you were watching the first sunrise of the year.