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 (41–50)
Shimenawa wreath origami
Here’s an idea for a shimenawa wreath made by connecting separate parts.
First, fold a 7.5 cm square sheet of origami paper into a triangle.
Next, fold the left corner of the triangle up to meet the top corner.
Up to this point, you’re just making creases, so unfold the paper back to its original shape.
Now, fold the top and bottom corners in toward the center.
Fold the paper in half along the first horizontal crease you made, then fold the left corner up along the diagonal crease to complete one part.
Make eight of these parts and connect them to form the wreath.
When connecting them, slightly offset each piece and fold the corners to express the rounded look of the rope—that’s the key.
Also create the bundled rope section and decorative pieces to finish the wreath with a festive touch.
Auspicious! Sea bream origami
When it comes to auspicious fish eaten at New Year’s in Japan, sea bream (tai) is the classic choice.
So during our January craft time, let’s make a sea bream out of origami.
In this idea, we’ll use a 15 cm sheet for the head and a 7.5 cm sheet for the tail fin, then combine them to complete the fish.
For the head, first fold the paper into a triangle, then fold both bottom corners up to meet the top corner.
Next, fold the raised section back outward, and on the right side only, open that folded-back section and squash it flat.
This part becomes the dorsal fin, the side you didn’t fold becomes the pectoral fin, and the remaining top corner forms the mouth.
From here, you’ll be making precise adjustments—cutting small slits with scissors and tucking in corners—so proceed carefully.
The tail fin is finished in seven folds.
New Year decorations made with origami and mizuhiki
Let’s celebrate the New Year by making a festive decoration! This idea breaks the project into fan, leaf, and flower parts, and then combines them with mizuhiki cord to finish it as a single ornament.
The fan and leaves are both made with accordion folds.
For the fan, use a rectangular piece of colored construction paper; once you’ve made the accordion, tape the center to create an hourglass shape.
For the leaves, accordion-fold a triangular piece of origami paper, fold it in half, then glue the bottom edges together to form the leaf shape.
Next is the flower, which is made by folding origami paper.
Since it’s assembled from five identical parts, the folding steps are simple.
Once all the parts are ready, arrange them using the fan as the base and complete your beautiful decoration.
Good luck! Hanging fan ornaments
Prepare two sheets each of plain origami paper measuring 7.5 cm × 15 cm, patterned washi origami paper measuring 3 cm × 15 cm, and gold origami paper measuring 0.5 cm × 15 cm.
First, leaving a 0.5 cm margin at the top of the plain origami, attach the gold origami.
Next, attach the patterned washi origami directly below it.
Once you have made two sets of these three-layered pieces, accordion-fold both.
Then align and glue the peaks at the ends together to form one piece, pinch the bottom and secure it with a stapler, and spread out the remaining top to shape it into a fan.
Finally, glue a string to the back of the fan, and your hanging decoration is complete.
koma
Let me introduce a spinning top you can make with origami—perfect for craft activities or making together with kids! With just three sheets of origami paper, you can create a colorful and cool top.
The key is to crease firmly and fold carefully as you go.
Make the parts with each sheet of paper, then assemble them at the end.
You won’t need glue or scissors, so anyone can try it easily! Combining patterned or sparkly origami papers can give it a different look and feel, too.
mumps
Speaking of New Year’s, Otahuku (the “Otafuku” smiling lady) is a classic, isn’t it? This piece is an origami project that creates just the base of the Otafuku—the face and hair.
After that, you can draw the face or cut out red paper into circles and paste them on.
If you want to have fun with children, it’s also great to prepare the parts and play fukuwarai.
If you’re making the parts, scissors will be used, so please be extremely careful when working with small children.
It might be a good idea to divide roles—have the child make the base and the parent make the parts.
omikuji (a Japanese fortune slip typically drawn at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples)
How about making handmade omikuji using origami inspired by the New Year? Use colorfully patterned paper for the origami tubes and add seasonal motifs to capture children’s interest.
Creating the omikuji together—parents and children alike—can be a fun activity to pray for good fortune in the new year.
The process of children folding the origami themselves and drawing their omikuji will also become a special memory to mark the start of the year.
If all the omikuji contain positive fortunes, everyone can welcome the beginning of the year with a warm and cheerful feeling.
kite
When it comes to New Year’s, kite flying is what excites children the most.
A kite that’s easy to make at home is perfect for a fun winter break project.
For example, using a lightweight, easy-to-handle plastic bag as the base lets both kids and adults enjoy making it together.
By decorating the kite with colorful tape and markers, you can create a one-of-a-kind piece full of personality.
The smiles on children’s faces as they watch their homemade kite flutter in the wind are truly unforgettable New Year’s moments.
As a craft activity that deepens parent-child communication, kite-making is highly recommended.
origami wreath
Let’s make a simple wreath out of origami without using glue or scissors! It’s a handy wreath you can use not only for New Year’s but also for other events like Christmas.
The method is easy: make eight identical pieces from origami paper and assemble them at the end.
If you decorate it with New Year’s-themed origami motifs, it will become a piece full of seasonal charm.
If you make it together with children for the New Year, it will surely fill everyone with excitement as the new year approaches!
snow rabbit
A popular and charming decoration for celebrating the New Year is the snow rabbit craft.
This handmade item—one of the joys of DIY—is easy enough for children to make and is full of ideas that the whole family can enjoy together.
Start by crumpling newspaper by hand to form the rabbit’s body.
This simple task will spark children’s creativity.
Next, handcraft the ears and eyes using white copier paper or colored paper.
Attach them, and an adorable rabbit will appear.
Although the process is simple, the finished piece gently brightens a room and enhances the festive New Year atmosphere.
It’s friendly, uses minimal materials, and is easy for anyone to try—highly recommended.