How to make an origami jumping frog

This little frog really jumps. A fold at the top makes its head and front legs, and a zig-zag fold at the back works like a spring. Press on its back, slide your finger off and watch it leap.

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

Lesson at a glance

You need: An index card (about 13 × 8 cm or 5 × 3 inches). 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 9

Step 1 of 9Start with the card upright, white side up. Fold the top left corner down to the right edge so the top edge lies along the side. Open it again.

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 jumping frog: step by step

You need: one index card or record card, about 13 × 8 cm (5 × 3 inches). Any stiff rectangle about one and a half times as long as it is wide works. Card jumps better than thin paper.

Start with the card upright, white side up. Fold the top left corner down to the right edge so the top edge lies along the side. Open it again.
Now fold the top right corner down to the left edge and open it again. You have an X at the top of the card.
Fold the top behind along a line straight across the middle of the X (a mountain fold), then open it again.
Push the ends of the straight crease in towards the middle and flatten the top down into a triangle.
Fold the left and right edges of the card in to meet in the middle. Tuck the tops of these folds under the triangle’s flaps.
Fold the bottom edge up to meet the bottom of the triangle.
Fold the same edge back down to the bottom fold. This zig-zag is the frog’s spring.
Fold the two bottom corners of the triangle up to its top point. These are the front legs.
Turn the frog over. Press down on the back edge, then slide your finger off backwards and watch it jump!

Finished!

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What children learn

Forces: pressing the spring stores energy; letting go turns it into movement. Talk about pushes, pulls and why a stiffer spring jumps further.
Measuring: measure each jump in centimetres (or inches), record the results and find the longest and the shortest.
Shape and symmetry: square, triangle and rectangle all appear, and the frog is symmetrical down the middle.
Fair testing: change one thing – card or paper, a bigger or smaller spring – and keep everything else the same.

Classroom tips for teachers

Frog races: mark a start line with tape. Each frog gets three jumps; add the distances to find the winner.
Maths: record jumps in a table, then make a bar chart or pictogram of the class results.
Science: compare frogs made from card and from thin paper. Which jumps further, and why?
Get the jump right: press down on the very back edge, then slide your finger off backwards. Pressing in the middle squashes the spring flat.
SEND tips: pre-crease the X at the top, and use a bigger card (6 × 4 inches) for easier folding. The collapse step is easier if an adult pinches the sides in while the child pushes the top down.

Curriculum links

Science (Year 3, forces): compare how things move; notice that pushes make things move.
Maths (measurement, Year 2–3): measure lengths in cm and m; record and compare results in tables and bar charts.
Maths (geometry, Year 1–2): name 2-D shapes and find a vertical line of symmetry.
Design and technology (KS1–KS2): make a product, test it and suggest how to improve it.

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. Jump frogs on the table or floor, away from faces, and take turns so nobody leans across someone else’s race track.

More origami to try

Paper aeroplane Easy · age 5+ · moves Paper boat Medium · age 6+ · moves Flapping bird Tricky · age 8+ · moves Cat face Easy · age 4+

All origami models · Home

More for your classroom

Questions teachers ask

Why won’t my frog jump?

Make the zig-zag spring sharp, press the very back edge of the frog and slide your finger off backwards. Card works much better than thin paper.

What paper is best for a jumping frog?

An index card or record card is best because it is stiff and springy. If you only have printer paper, fold it in half first so it is thicker.

Can I make it from a square?

This design needs a rectangle about one and a half times as long as it is wide, like an index card. Fold a strip off the side of a square to get close to that shape.