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[Origami Horse] A Collection of Folding Ideas to Enjoy with Elementary School Children

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.

How about trying to fold a horse with origami? Among animals, horses have distinctive three-dimensional forms, and there are many different approaches to folding them.

The options range from simple steps that an elementary school child can fold on their own to slightly more challenging three-dimensional designs that depict the mane and all four legs.

Here, we introduce videos and guides that will be helpful when folding an origami horse.

Find a favorite horse that matches your child’s interests and preferences!

[Origami Horses] A Collection of Folding Ideas to Enjoy with Elementary School Kids (11–20)

Easy and cute! Unicorn face

[Origami Unicorn] Super easy♪ You can make it with a single sheet of origami 💙 How to make a very easy unicorn origami

Easy and cute! Unicorn face

It’s fun to get particular about colors while you create! How about trying a project like that? After folding an origami unicorn face, decorate its expression with pens and stickers.

It’s great to make together with friends or family, but also perfect for focusing and working on your own.

It’s exciting to add more friends and dive into your ideal world or a fantasy world to play.

The instructions are easy to understand and simple, so it’s highly recommended! Be sure to suggest it to children who love cute things.

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Horse origami New Year’s card!

[Origami Original] Ema Charm Edition — Horse, Year of the Horse, 2026, origami, New Year’s card, the Twelve Zodiac Animals, single sheet, horse

Horse origami New Year’s card!

This origami piece combines an ema plaque and a horse’s face into one design.

There’s a space on the ema where you can write, so you can add New Year’s greetings or a short message.

Because the idea involves detailed steps like making creases and small cuts, it’s suitable for upper elementary school students and older.

Start by making the horse, then shape the remaining part into the ema.

If 15 cm origami paper feels difficult to fold, use slightly larger paper.

If you plan to attach it to a New Year’s card as-is, it might be too thick or heavy to mail, so consider using a printed version instead.

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Cute for New Year’s cards, too! Horse origami

[New Year Origami] Easy and Cute Horse Folding Instructions / Origami Zodiac Horse (Uma) – Origami Horse

Cute for New Year’s cards, too! Horse origami

Here’s an idea for making a horse using two sheets of origami paper.

First, we’ll make the horse’s head.

Fold the paper into a triangle, then fold the left and right corners up to meet the top corner.

Next, flip the paper upside down and again fold the left and right corners to the top corner.

Open the folded left and right corners outward and fold them back so their width is halved to create the ears.

Turn the paper over; use the top corner to form the mane, and make a valley fold on the top layer of the bottom corner to create the nose.

Fold the remaining corner inward to refine the outline, and the face is complete! For the body, the steps are the same as making a “trick boat” up to the midway point.

Make two boats, one on the top and one on the bottom.

Use the two corners of the top boat to form the legs, and the right corner of the bottom boat for the tail.

Tuck the remaining left corner of the bottom boat inward, then fold the whole thing in half along the center line, and it’s done.

If you stack and glue the two parts together, it adds thickness; for use in New Year’s card designs, it’s better to use a printed version to keep it flat.

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In conclusion

The fun of folding an origami horse lies not only in the moment it’s finished, but also in the process of watching a single sheet of paper gradually change shape.

Some models are a bit challenging, but as you fold them repeatedly, you’ll surely discover your own tips and tricks.

Try using your imagination—experiment with how you express the mane, change the colors, and explore freely.