Perfect for first-timers! A collection of origami that’s super popular with kids as young as three!
This time, we’re introducing cute origami activities for three-year-olds.
At age three, children’s vocabulary grows, and they start to manage simple back-and-forth exchanges.
In terms of development, their fine motor skills improve, and they begin to do simple self-care tasks on their own, like fastening buttons and putting on socks.
They also start to enjoy using their hands more, and you’ll often see them actively engaging in hands-on play like origami, pretend play, or connecting Plarail train sets.
We’ll be showcasing some very popular origami for children like these, so please have fun trying them out with your own creative twists!
Perfect for first-timers! A collection of origami that’s super popular with kids from age 3! (1–10)
How to fold ice cream
Let’s make a cold and delicious ice cream! First, fold the origami paper into a triangle, crease it well, and unfold.
Fold along the creased lines toward the center to form a triangle shape.
At this point, it looks like the cone part of the ice cream.
Fold the top ice-cream part downward and flip it over.
Fold about 1 centimeter of the ice-cream part, then flip it over again.
Now it looks like a pointy soft-serve cone.
Tuck the ice-cream part to the back to round it out, and your ice cream is complete! Adding stickers as toppings would make it even cuter!
How to fold a tulip
Let’s make tulips that kids love.
Prepare a total of two sheets of origami: one for the flower and one for the stem and leaf.
For the flower: fold the paper into a triangle twice.
After making the creases, unfold one step to return to the triangle shape.
Fold up the left and right corners to form the flower.
It’s recommended to adjust the width of these folds to suit the children’s preferences.
For the leaf and stem: fold the origami into a triangle, crease, and open it.
To form a long triangle, fold each side toward the center crease, then fold in half along the center line.
With the wider end at the bottom, fold up a small portion to finish.
Attach the stem part to the flower with clear tape, and your tulip is complete!
How to fold a Shinkansen (origami)
Let’s make a Shinkansen—hugely popular with kids—out of origami! You only need one sheet, so get a piece in your favorite color.
First, place the paper color-side up and fold it in half.
Open it, then fold the top and bottom in by about one-third.
With the colored side still facing up, fold it in half again.
Next, fold the upper left corner into a triangle and tuck it inside; this will be the nose of the Shinkansen.
Do the same with the lower white section—fold it into a triangle and tuck it in—and your Shinkansen is complete.
It’s also fun to draw windows with a pen or crayon, or draw tracks on construction paper and let it “run” along them!
How to fold a heart
It’s exciting when you can make a cute heart shape just by folding, isn’t it? Here’s how to fold an adorable heart.
There are many steps, but since most folds are symmetrical, give it a try! First, crease a cross (both vertical and horizontal) and unfold.
Next, fold the bottom up toward the center line.
Flip it over, then fold both the left and right sides so that the part you just folded aligns with the vertical center line.
Flip it over again, and fold the wider bottom section on both sides toward the vertical center line.
Fold the square sections on both sides toward the vertical line as well.
When you fold down the triangular section, the top part will puff open—gently squash it and fold it into a heart shape to finish.
How to fold a star
Let’s fold a cute star you can use for Tanabata or Christmas! You only need one sheet of origami paper, so pick your favorite color.
First, we’ll make the crease lines: fold it into a square twice, open it up, then fold it into a triangle twice and open it again.
From here, we’ll keep making crease lines, so be sure to fold firmly.
There are a few steps, but you can make it without glue or scissors, so give it a try! If you use foil origami paper, it sparkles and looks really beautiful.
How to fold a rabbit (origami)
Let’s try folding a cute rabbit with long ears! Prepare one sheet of your favorite origami paper.
First, place it with the white, non-colored side facing up.
Fold it into a triangle twice, then open the pocket and gently squash it from the top to make a square.
Do the same on the back side.
Fold down the flaps that are loose, and repeat on the back.
You should start to see the ears appear; finally, fold the left and right sides toward the center to shape the face and ears, and you’re done! As you fold, saying things like “Are the ears starting to show?” and “What shape will the face be?” will help the children stay excited and engaged while they make it.
How to fold a dog (origami)
Let me show you how to fold an origami dog that looks like you can almost hear it go “woof woof.” The steps are very simple, so you’ll want to make it again and again! First, fold your origami paper into a triangle and place it with the triangle’s point facing down.
The two corners on the sides will become the dog’s ears, so fold them down.
Finally, fold the bottom point of the triangle up a little to make the nose.
After that, use a pen or crayon to draw the eyes and nose however you like.
Dogs are familiar animals even to three-year-olds, so if you guide them by saying things like, “Now we’re making the ears!” they can imagine each part as they go, which makes the folding easier.