Origami is a type of recreation that people of all ages—from young children to seniors—can enjoy together, and it’s fun whether you’re in a group or on your own.
You may not remember the very first origami you folded as a child, but in this article we’ll introduce ideas that are easy to fold and can be made with just one sheet of paper.
No cutting or gluing needed—these are all simple designs that you can complete with a single sheet of origami paper.
They’re perfect for kids trying origami for the first time, and also great as a warm-up for anyone who hasn’t folded in a while!
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Simple origami that can be folded with one sheet (1–10)
Push Pop
Let’s try recreating the endlessly playable push pop—press it with a pop, flip it and pop again—using origami.
First, add a cross and diagonal creases to the paper, then fold the four corners toward the center and open it back up.
Next, fold the square down along the creases to make it smaller, continue folding so it forms a square frame, and shape it into a three-dimensional form.
It requires a fair number of folds, but the lines and points you need to match are very clear, so even those who struggle with fine work should find it approachable.
Give it a try!
kusudama (decorative paper ball used for celebrations)
You can make a seemingly complex polygonal kusudama with just a single sheet of origami paper! First, crease three lines each vertically and horizontally and unfold.
Then add diagonal creases and several parallel creases along them—once that’s done, the prep is complete.
With the square folded down small, fold it in half, continue folding along the creases you made earlier, and finally inflate it by blowing into the small hole at the bottom.
You’ll have a kusudama called “Konpeitō.” It’s a bit intricate, but the sense of accomplishment when you finish is exceptional.
Give it a try!
cat
This is an origami project for children.
You can make a very cute cat face.
First, fold the paper into a triangle and fold the top corner down to meet the bottom edge.
Next, turn the paper upside down, then fold both left and right corners inward so they cross and align with the bottom edge.
Overlap them so the edges sit slightly outside the center line.
After that, fold those two corners you just folded inward back up diagonally one by one.
These will be the cat’s ears.
Finally, fold the two bottom corners slightly inward, and you’re done! Draw the face and patterns to make your cat the way you like.
balloon
Let’s make an origami balloon! Fold the paper in half, then fold it in half again.
Open it up and collapse it into a triangle.
Fold the triangle’s bottom corners up toward the top point, then fold the left and right corners toward the center.
Fold down the top flaps and tuck them into the pockets on both sides.
Flip it over and repeat the same steps on the back.
Finally, blow into the opening to shape it, and you’ll have a puffy origami balloon! Doesn’t it bring back nostalgic memories of playing with paper balloons when you were little?
How to fold a colorful randoseruNEW!
A backpack made from a single sheet of origami paper! The finished piece is small, but it looks like you could tuck in a little candy and give it as a gift.
If you make several in different colors and line them up, they’ll make perfect April decorations! First, fold the origami paper in half, then fold it once more in the same direction to make creases.
Along the creases, cut off one quarter of the paper and use that part to make the flap.
After adding more creases, cut off the shoulder strap section as well.
Assemble the remaining paper into a box shape, then attach the flap and shoulder straps to finish!
morning glory
Morning glories are often taken home by elementary school students over summer break so they can keep observation diaries.
They come in colors like pink, purple, and blue, and are characterized by petals shaped like little trumpets.
Let’s try making morning glories with origami! Each individual fold is simple, but because there are steps like creasing, unfolding, and folding again, we recommend that if a child is making it, a guardian demonstrate while guiding them.
The finished morning glories look beautiful, and if you make many in different colors, they’ll make a lovely summer wall decoration!
Decoy boat
Let’s fold a trick boat that forms the same boat shape no matter which way you fold it.
Fold the origami paper in half, then align the left and right edges to that center crease to create three guideline creases.
Rotate the paper and make the same creases, then fold it into a triangle to add diagonal creases as well.
With the front side up, fold all four corners to the center, flip the paper over, and continue folding along the creases you’ve made to shape it into a boat.
Your origami boat is complete.
The key is to firmly set the basic creases before shaping it!
Easy origami school backpackNEW!
This is an idea to make a complete randoseru (school backpack) from a single sheet of origami paper by creating the body, the flap, and the shoulder straps.
First, crease the origami paper and cut off one quarter.
Fold the short edge of the cut-off piece to make the flap.
Take the remaining origami, fold it in half by aligning the long edges, then fold it into thirds to make creases.
Open the tri-folded section, fold it in half by aligning the short edges to make creases; you should now have the paper divided into six blocks while folded in half.
Place it vertically with the creases on the right, and cut off the lower left end along the crease.
Fold this cut-off strip narrowly to make the shoulder straps, and assemble the remaining part into a box shape to form the body.
paper airplane
A paper airplane born from a single sheet of origami paper is a pastime that people of all ages can enjoy.
Once you’ve learned the basic folds, it’s fun to add your own touches—like changing the shape of the wings or adjusting the center of gravity.
If you use colorful paper, it will look vivid and beautiful as it soars high into the sky.
Competing with friends or family to see whose flies the farthest is sure to be exciting.
So, why not try making a paper airplane yourself?
seal
Let’s make an adorable seal with a plump little body using a single sheet of origami paper.
Fold it into a triangle twice, open the pocket so it becomes a square, then open it into a diamond as you would when folding a crane.
After that, flip it over and continue making small folds while imagining the rounded shape of a seal, refining the form until it’s complete.
To make it extra cute, the next step—drawing the face—is very important! Use markers or stickers to give it a charming expression.
It’s also a great idea to use picture books for reference.