Easy Origami Instructions

We have all heard about the Japanese art of paper folding to create different objects, called origami, and it is not only limited to a kids activity. If you are interested in this creative art, you can begin at any time. Presented are easy instructions for beginners, to familiarize you with this craft.

The origami yacht is simple to make, and will help kids develop an interest in different kinds of art activities.

• Use a small size origami paper to make the yacht. Begin by placing the colored side facing down.
• Fold it diagonally to form a triangle.

• Again fold it centrally to form another, smaller triangle.
• Now unfold the paper to get four diagonal creases, and rotate it to a 45 degree angle so that it appears like a diamond. The creases will now appear horizontal and diagonal.
• Now, use a scissor to cut along the right horizontal crease.

• Fold the paper along the central vertical crease, with the cut side facing you.
• Fold the bottom half of the paper towards the central horizontal crease.
• Open up the top flap, and fold it along the vertical crease, but in a manner that the white portion is now visible, with the colored portion inside.

• Now fold the bottom half upward, to create a flat bottom edge. The setup will now appear like a yacht.
• To complete the yacht, fold the upper right tip of the bottom edge upward.

You have now successfully completed your own origami yacht.

Another way to familiarize kids with origami is to make this simple origami hat.

• To make an origami hat, you will require a rectangular piece of origami paper. If you have a square sheet, just fold about one inch of the paper inward, and cut it out. You will now have a rectangular sheet.

• Fold your rectangle into half, horizontally.
• Fold the top two corners towards the center, so that it looks like a triangle. Ensure that you crease the folds thoroughly.

• Now take the bottom edge and fold only the top side upwards.
• Turn over the paper and fold the other bottom edge upward.
• Now slightly open up the hat from the bottom opening.

Your origami hat is now ready.

With these basic origami instructions, you can make a nice envelope with a personal message, maybe for Santa!

• Use an A4 sized paper, or a rectangular paper, to make the envelope. Begin by first writing your message on the paper.

• Now fold the paper into half, ensuring your message is on the inside. Open it up to find a central crease.
• Take the top right edge of the paper, and fold it internally towards the central crease.
• Similarly, taking the bottom left edge of the paper, fold it to meet the central crease.
• Fold the bottom right side, so that it meets the bottom left vertical edge.

• Again, fold the top left edge to meet the top right vertical edge. Overall, you should achieve a diamond-like shape, with narrow and flat top and bottom edges.
• Now rotate this entire setup clockwise, in a 90-degree direction.

• Take the entire right side, and fold it down where it meets the bottom edge. Tuck this right side into the bottom flap.
• Now fold the left side towards the top edge. Open up the top flap and tuck the edge inside.

You have successfully created your own origami envelope.

The ninja star is cool and funky, and great for beginners in the world of origami and other paper crafts.

• Begin with two origami papers of different colors. The steps are the same for both the papers and must be completed simultaneously. Have the colored side facing down.

• Assuming the colors are red and black, vertically fold the papers into halves, making a proper crease. Now open up the folds.
• Again, vertically fold the right half further, to meet the central crease. Follow the same steps for the left side.

• Fold each sheet into half along the central crease.
• Further fold these papers into halves, horizontally. Make a proper crease and unfold.

• Now take the black sheet, fold the top left edge of the paper inward, to meet the right vertical edge, to form a triangle.
• Similarly, fold the bottom right edge inward, to meet the left vertical edge.

• For the red sheet, the folds will be in the opposite direction, i.e., the top right edge will be folded inward to meet the left vertical edge, and the bottom left edge will be folded inward to meet the right vertical edge.

• After you have made these folds, place the black sheet on the left, and the red on the right. The folds on either sheet should be in opposite directions.
• Now take the black sheet, and fold the top half of the sheet toward the right, to meet the central crease. Fold it well.

• Similarly, fold the bottom half toward the left, to meet the central crease, and fold it well.
• With the red sheet, fold the top half of the sheet toward the left, to meet the central crease, and fold the bottom half of the sheet toward the right, to meet the central crease, and make thorough folds.

• Flip over only the black sheet, and rotate the red sheet, as it is, at a 90 degree angle.
• Now place the red sheet on the black sheet, aligning it at the center.
• The black sheet has a top triangle, and a bottom triangle. Fold the top triangle, along its inner diagonal edge, and tuck the tip of the triangle, under the upper red flap.

• Similarly, fold the bottom triangle along the inner diagonal edge, and tuck the tip under the lower red flap. Ensure you get a snug fit.
• Flip over the entire setup, in a manner that the red sheet is horizontal and the black sheet vertical.
• Now, fold the top left tip of the red sheet diagonally, to tuck it into the black flap.

• Similarly, fold the bottom right tip of the red sheet diagonally, to tuck it into the black flap.
• Again, flip over the entire setup.

Your ninja star is now ready to get into action!

You can now create your own unique collection of these different origami items that you have made with these easy origami instructions.