Origami for kids – easy step-by-step 3D origami

Watch every fold happen in 3D, spin the finished model round, see it move, then fold your own with the printable step sheets. Traditional models, from very easy to tricky – no scissors or glue needed.

15 models
3D folding app on every model
Printable step sheets
No scissors or glue

Easy origami

Cat face Easy · age 4+ · 6 steps Dog face Easy · age 4+ · 7 steps Fox face Easy · age 5+ · 7 steps Cup Easy · age 5+ · 6 steps Tulip Easy · age 4+ · 5 steps Paper hat Easy · age 5+ · 6 steps Penguin Easy · age 5+ · 5 steps Owl Easy · age 5+ · 6 steps Paper aeroplane Easy · age 5+ · 7 steps · moves

Medium origami

Heart Medium · age 6+ · 8 steps Glider Medium · age 6+ · 8 steps Fortune teller Medium · age 6+ · 6 steps · moves Paper boat Medium · age 6+ · 10 steps · moves Jumping frog Medium · age 6+ · 9 steps · moves

Tricky origami

Flapping bird Tricky · age 8+ · 11 steps · moves

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How the 3D origami app works

Watch a fold. Press Play and the paper folds in front of you, just like real paper. Dashed lines show where to fold and arrows show which way.
Fold along. Pause after each step and copy it with your own paper. Press Back or Again whenever you need to see it again.
Spin it round. Drag the model to look at it from any side, or press Show the back.
Make it move. Models that do something – aeroplanes that glide, frogs that hop, a fortune teller that opens and closes – show their trick when you finish.

Origami in the classroom

Origami is a cheap, calm, hands-on activity that builds fine motor skills, concentration and following instructions in order. It is also full of maths: every fold makes halves, quarters, triangles, diagonals, lines of symmetry and angles that pupils can see and touch.

Maths talk: ask pupils to name the shape after each fold, count the layers, or find the line of symmetry.
Fractions: fold a square in half, then in half again – what fraction is each part? Unfold to check.
Instructions: pupils write their own step-by-step instructions for a model, then a partner tests them.
Calm time: a simple model makes a good quiet activity after break or as a brain break.

Tips for folding with children

Use thin paper: printer paper or origami paper. Thick card is hard for small hands.
Fold on a hard, flat table and run a fingernail along every crease.
Show each step on the board with the 3D app, then pause while everyone copies it.
Pair confident folders with children who need help – explaining a fold is good learning too.

Every model here is a traditional design or our own simple design, folded and checked in our 3D app. Printouts are free for home and classroom use.

More for your classroom

In the US? See origami for kids (US spelling).

Questions teachers ask

What is the easiest origami for kids?

Start with the cat face, dog face, cup or paper aeroplane. They use only a few simple folds and suit children from about age 4 or 5 with a little help.

What paper is best for origami?

Thin, square origami paper is easiest, but printer paper works for every model here. To make a square from A4 or US Letter paper without scissors, fold one corner down to the opposite edge, crease the leftover strip firmly both ways and tear it off slowly.

Do I need to download anything?

No. The 3D folding app runs in your web browser on computers, tablets, phones and interactive whiteboards. Each model also has a printable step sheet.

How does origami help children learn?

Folding builds fine motor skills, patience and the ability to follow steps in order. It also brings maths to life: halves, quarters, diagonals, angles and symmetry appear in every model.