Easy Origami for Kids

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This article was updated in June of 2022 from an article that was originally published in June 2017. 

Easy Origami for Kids

Have you thought about trying origami with your children or teens? It doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated! There are lots of ways to do easy origami for kids. Try some of the ideas and patterns I’m sharing today, or find a book of origami ideas.

easy origami patterns for kids

Why should you do origami with your children?

Not only is origami a fun way to spend time with your children being creative together, but there are quite a few other benefits you may not have thought of. It’s a great idea to make origami a regular part of your homeschool or your summer because:

  • Origami helps children develop spatial skills.
  • It can help kids develop patience.
  • With practice, it enhances memory and concentration skills.
  • It can be a simple/inexpensive way to create something beautiful to share with friends or family members.
  • The supplies you need are easy to obtain and usually readily available. (You really only need a sheet of paper!)
  • It helps develop the imagination.
  • It helps develop hand-eye coordination.
  • It can help teach children to focus and be calm.
  • It’s fun!
It’s easy to integrate into whatever you’re studying! 

I could have included this in the list of reasons to do origami with your children (above), but I wanted to give it some special attention and share a few suggestions with you. Keep reading for ideas!

If you’re studying China or Japan, it’s easy to incorporate origami.

Most people think of Japan when they think of origami, but the art of paper crafts is also significant to the history of China. No matter which country you’re studying, take some time to research a little about origami and its history in that country.

You might also learn a bit more about the different types of origami and other paper crafts that are traditional for each country. For example, origami in China often focuses more on creating inanimate objects like boats, pinwheels, or dishes, while origami in Japan more often focuses on living things like animals or flowers.

While you’re studying and doing some origami, try a Japanese or Chinese meal or snack too! Two of my favorite cookbooks for this purpose are Eat Your Way Around the World and  Cooking Class Global Feast! 44 Recipes That Celebrate the World’s Cultures.

Add origami into math. 

It’s easy to see how origami includes mathematical concepts like geometry, angles, and fractions. After all, origami requires the creation of geometric constructions (such as angles, equilateral triangles, pentagons, hexagons, etc.) in order to create all kinds of beautiful animals and objects.

Origami also necessarily includes patterns–another mathematical concept.

Include origami in your writing curriculum.

Sometimes you just need to have fun with your kids! Try making an origami animal (or even an object) and then writing a story about it.

For example, in the origami worksheets I’m sharing (See the link to the origami patterns below in our store.), you’ll find out how to make an origami crocodile. Why not write a story (or even a poem or a short research paper) about a crocodile as part of your study?

Do one of our “Easy Origami for Kids” patterns as part of a mini unit study. 

Included in the origami pattern pack I’m sharing today, you’ll find patterns for making lots of adorable origami animals! You’ll get patterns to make a:

  • crocodile
  • pigeon
  • giraffe
  • bee
  • rabbit
  • fox
  • dog’s face
  • rabbit’s face
  • penguin
  • frog
  • crab

For some of these animals, we have mini unit studies, other arts & crafts ideas, and other studies you could easily pair with your origami project! Some examples are:

  • BEE: If you choose to download the origami patterns I’m sharing today (I hope you will!), you’ll find that one of the patterns will help you create an origami bee. In the Only Passionate Curiosity Store, you’ll also find a Life Cycle of a Bee Layer Book. It’s easy to incorporate the two and make your origami bee a fun part of your bee study. (To get the Life Cycle of a Bee Layer Book for free, just put in 0.00 when you see the pay-what-you-can option.)
  • POETRY AND/OR CROCODILES: If you’re studying poetry or crocodiles, be sure to download our Printable Poetry Study: Lewis Carroll’s “The Crocodile.” (Again, just put in 0.00 when you see the pay-what-you-can option if you’d like to get it for free.) Not only can you have fun making an origami crocodile, but you can also study things like vocabulary, rhyme scheme, and memorization.
  • RABBIT: Your kids will enjoy making these Toilet Paper Tube Bunnies along with their origami bunny rabbits!

You just need paper and your pattern!

What paper should you use?

It’s up to you! To make the giraffe, bee, crocodile, and pigeon you see in the image at the top of this article, all you need is paper and the origami patterns!

If you want to use pretty patterned paper, you can find all kinds of pretty and fun origami paper choices on Amazon. Or, if you’d rather use whatever paper you already have at home, that will work just as well! Use solid colors or stripes or fun prints. Have fun with your paper choices!

Now you just need to download the patterns to make the origami animals pictured and mentioned above. CLICK HERE to go to the store and download your patterns! 

NOTE: To get your patterns for free, put in 0.00 when you see the pay-what-you-can option. Thank you for supporting Only Passionate Curiosity!

You May Also Like

If you enjoy origami, of course we encourage you to try one of our Easy Origami for Kids patterns! And you may also like these other paper crafts!

Did you know we have an entire series of crafts using toilet paper tubes? You and your kiddos can make insects, animals, airplanes, rockets, pirates, mermaids, and more! CLICK THIS LINK to go to our selection of Toilet Paper Tube crafts. 

On our sister site, Hip Homeschool Moms, you’ll find all kinds of paper craft ideas! Whether you’re looking for a paper craft idea for a holiday (like a New Years party, Christmas. Thanksgiving, autumn, winter, Christmas, etc.), you’ll find ideas there! CLICK THIS LINK to go to Hip Homeschool Moms and find paper craft ideas for all kinds of occasions. 

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30 Comments

  1. Give young children lots of active outdoor play and large muscle activities to help them develop.

  2. My advice for homeschooling the early years is let them be kids! Exploration and play are so critical!!

  3. My advice for the early years of homeschooling is to begin training children to participate in the life of the family really early by including them in your daily work.

  4. My advice for homeschooling in the early years is have fun! Work on knowing your child, play, read, cook together and don’t worry about if your child is doing everything the other kids are doing.

  5. This looks so fun! I would advise new and younger Homeschool moms, take it easy, get a habit and schedule going. The work will come but getting the habit and structure take time. Add little at a time. And take breaths you can do it. No one knows your child better then you. Enjoy

  6. Definitely don’t try to do too much. My kids love crafts so making time for them helps them stay interested in school.

  7. We decided just 2 weeks ago to home school for the first time, so I need to read all the advice and not really give it! I am really enjoying the Linda Dobson book on the first year of home schooling, so that’s one thing I can recommend!

  8. Have fun – slow down and enjoy it. It’s OK if the kids don’t read right away… go on nature walks, and for goodness sake, don’t push boys to do too much writing – they will do enough of that later in life! Snuggle on the couch reading books and talking about them.

  9. I don’t really have advice, as we’re starting our homeschooling journey with our five year old in kindergarten this coming fall. I would say I often remind myself to make nature time important and not an afterthought.

  10. For the early years of homeschooling, I would recommend finding a good, age-appropriate curriculum, if you are not confident guiding them your self. But reading to them & interacting are probably the most important thing you can do, regardless of what you are “teaching” them!

  11. If your kids aren’t looking forward to homeschooling most days, something is wrong. It should be mostly enjoyable for everyone.

  12. Remember that you aren’t doing public school you are homeschooling. Also don’t stress too much

  13. Always include fun experiences in learning (art, science exoeruments, history projects, nature hikes, museum trips, playing in the park, playing sports, etc.) throughout all the years. Kids will remember these experiences because it was with you. 🙂

  14. Go with the flow, don’t be afraid to explore their passions and let go of the notion that you have to have a rigid schedule like traditional school.

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