How to make a paper boat

The classic paper boat starts life as a paper hat. Two clever squashes turn the hat into a diamond, and one gentle pull opens it into a boat with a sail. Watch each fold in 3D, then make a fleet and see whose floats longest.

Medium
Age 6+
About 10 minutes
10 steps
No scissors
Moves: Watch it sail

Lesson at a glance

You need: A sheet of A4 or US Letter paper. No scissors or glue.
Time: About 10 minutes (allow longer the first time)
Level: Medium · age 6+
How to teach it: Show the 3D folder on the board and pause after each step, or print the step sheet for each table. Both show the same folds.

Step 1 of 10

Step 1 of 10Start with the paper upright. Fold it in half from top to bottom.

Speed Paper Less movement

Keys: left and right arrows go back and forward, Space plays or pauses, R plays the step again, B shows the back. On the 3D picture, the arrow keys turn it and + and − zoom.

How to fold a paper boat: step by step

You need: one sheet of A4 or US Letter paper (printer paper, or a page of newspaper for a bigger boat). Rub crayon or wax over the outside if you want it to float for longer.

Start with the paper upright. Fold it in half from top to bottom.
Fold it in half from left to right, then open it again. This makes a centre crease.
Fold the two top corners down so they meet on the centre crease.
Fold the bottom strip of the front layer up over the triangles.
Turn it over and fold the other strip up in the same way. You have made a paper hat!
Open the hat at the bottom. Push the two side corners together until they meet, then flatten it into a diamond.
Fold the bottom corner of the front layers up to the top corner.
Turn it over and fold the other bottom corner up too. Now you have a triangle.
Open the triangle at the bottom, push the two side corners together and flatten it into a smaller diamond.
Hold the point at the top. Gently pull the folded sides down and out to the left and right, and the boat opens up with a sail in the middle. Your boat is ready to sail!

Finished!

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What children learn

Following steps in order: the boat is made from a hat, so pupils see how one model grows into another.
Shape: rectangle, triangle, diamond (a square on its corner) and back to a triangle – name each shape as it appears.
Symmetry: the centre crease is a line of symmetry all the way through.
Materials: why does paper float at first and then sink? Test plain paper against paper rubbed with crayon or wax.

Classroom tips for teachers

Do the hat first: make the paper hat as a lesson on its own, then turn it into a boat the next day.
The squash: the tricky moment is opening the hat and pushing the corners together. Show it slowly on the board with the 3D app, then help each table.
Science: float the boats in a water tray. Time how long each one floats, add cubes or coins as cargo and count how many it carries before it sinks.
Writing: pupils write a short set of instructions for a friend, using time words like first, next and finally.
SEND tips: use bigger paper (A3 or newspaper), pre-crease the centre line, and let pupils stop at the hat if the squash is too hard today.

Curriculum links

Maths (Year 1–2): recognise and name 2-D shapes; describe their properties, including a vertical line of symmetry.
Science (Year 1–2, everyday materials): describe simple properties of materials and test which are suitable for a boat.
Design and technology (KS1): build and test a simple product, and say how it could be improved.
English (spoken language and writing): follow and give step-by-step instructions using time words.

Links to the National Curriculum in England and the EYFS framework. Check the wording against your own school’s plans. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Safety

No scissors or glue are needed. If you float the boats, keep water trays on the floor or a low table, mop up spills straight away and supervise children near water.

More origami to try

Paper hat Easy · age 5+Paper aeroplane Easy · age 5+ · moves Jumping frog Medium · age 6+ · moves Cat face Easy · age 4+

All origami models · Home

More for your classroom

Questions teachers ask

Why does my paper boat sink?

Paper soaks up water, so every paper boat sinks in the end. Rub crayon or candle wax over the outside first and it will float for much longer.

What paper is best for a paper boat?

A4 or US Letter printer paper works well. A page of newspaper makes a bigger boat, and the same folds work for any rectangle.

The squash step is hard. Any tips?

Hold the hat with the open side down, put a finger inside each side and push the two side corners together. When it lies flat as a diamond, run your nail along the edges.