Education

8 Easy Origami Projects for Kids (Free Printable Instructions)

Published on November 9, 2023

There’s something magical about turning a simple square of paper into a number of different objects. While not all historians agree about the origins of origami, most believe it started in Japan during the sixth or seventh century. Origami, or the art of folding paper into 3D objects, reached Europe sometime in the 18th century. Now, it’s practiced by people of all ages around the globe. While many origami projects can be intricate and challenging, there are also plenty of easy origami projects for kids to try.

Ready to get started? Check out our favorite origami projects below, and be sure to download the free printable instructions so kids can easily follow along.

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Benefits of Practicing Origami

Whether they’re creating easy origami animals, flowers, or a simple box, kids experience many educational benefits when practicing origami, such as:

Focus
Patience
Attention skills
Recall skills (when re-creating pieces from memory or teaching them to others)
Hand-eye coordination
Fine motor skills

Tips for Doing Origami With Kids

First and foremost, have patience since origami can prove challenging even for adults!
Try the model ahead of time so you’re able to comfortably demonstrate the steps.
Print out any instructions or photos of the steps to have on hand while teaching kids.
Have your kids next to you or behind you so they can copy the steps as you complete them. Remember that if they’re facing you, they’ll have to do everything on the opposite side.
Begin with an easier project like a paper heart before moving on to something more complicated like a dragon.
Have fun!

Origami Supplies

All you need is origami paper and some fine-tip markers to complete the easy origami projects below. Here are some supplies to get you started:

Easy Origami Animals for Kids

Easy Origami Frog

What’s more fun than playing with a toy? Playing with a toy you create yourself! Follow the steps, and in no time kids will have a traditional origami frog that will hop along a table or floor with a simple flick of the finger. Be sure to have different shades of green paper on hand so the frogs will look realistic.

Easy Origami Bird

Of all the easy origami animals, a bird is a classic since a paper crane was likely among the very first origami models. There are many types of origami birds, but we think this one is both cute and easy to create.

Easy Origami Pig

Mercy Watson lovers will get a kick out of creating their own porcine wonder! This easy origami pig is simple enough for young students to create on their own.

Easy Origami Fish

If you know any Rainbowfish fans, this is a fun activity for them. Just make sure you have plenty of colorful paper on hand!

Easy Origami Cat

This project is perfect for beginners since the folds are straightforward and the steps are minimal. Kids will get a kick out of drawing a face for their new feline friend.

Easy Origami Dog

Like the origami cat, it’s easy for kids to create this adorable origami dog. The folds are similar, so once kids finish both projects, challenge them to explain the similarities and differences.

More Easy Origami Projects for Kids

Easy Origami Heart

This heart is very easy to create so we think it is the perfect project to try with the littlest origami lovers. You might even want to save this project for Valentine’s Day since they are perfect for handing out to friends.

Easy Origami Flower

This easy origami flower is created using two pieces of paper. Once kids finish folding, they’ll glue the stem and petals together to reveal a beautiful rose! Have a lot of different patterns and colors of paper on hand for this one so kids can really personalize their flowers.