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How to Make a Paper Boat

Aparna Jadhav
One of the best things about childhood is making those tiny little paper boats and launching them in lakes or puddles. If you have never tried doing that, learn how to make a paper boat in a few simple steps.
A paper boat is one of the easiest origami formations you can teach your child and also learn yourself if you have never made one before. They are very basic, and can be a fun experience for kids and adults alike. These can also boost your child's imagination.
As origami is a Japanese art form which was invented to make paper crafts by just folding the paper and not cutting or pasting it, it is fun to get proficient in it. All you have to do to create a paper boat that looks real is follow the simple instructions mentioned here.

Making a Paper Boat that Floats
To start with, you will need to find a rectangular piece of paper and then follow these steps.

1. Keep the sheet of paper on a flat surface in front of you.

2. Hold the bottom-right corner and fold it towards the top-left corner.
3. Remove the excess paper from this formation by tearing it to form a triangle when folded.

4. Once you unfold this triangle, you should get a perfect piece of square paper which you have to use to make the paper boat.
5. Fold the bottom-right corner of the paper towards the top-left end and make another triangle. Unfold this triangle to create an X-shaped crease on the square sheet of paper.
6. Fold each corner of the square to its center and then fold each tip to its baseline. Repeat this with each corner tip and then tuck each corner under the four triangles.
7. Fold this paper in half and then each half back to its top side. The paper now resembles a rectangle with two triangular flips at the top edges.

8. Fold each corner down and then make three folds on both the sides.

9. Take the paper in your hand and hold the two edges of the boat between the thumb and forefinger of both your hands.
10. Pull the two sides of the paper apart and push the center through the opposite side. If you have followed all the instructions rightly, the boat will have two folded flaps, which will look like the side sitting flaps for the boat.

11. Expand the boat's side covers to give it some volume, and then float it in a pond or even a bowl filled with water.
Wasn't that fun? Origami papers are not necessary to make paper boats for your kids each time they want to play. You can make them with old magazine papers, newspapers, or even used rough sheets and then paint them to make them look good.
Making paper boats can also be a good exercise for kids at school. If you are a teacher and want to teach your students a new craft idea, give them a piece of old newspaper and teach them how to make a paper boat.
You can have your kids make a number of these boats and float them in your nearby lake or even keep them at home. With these instructions, you can easily teach your kids or learn it yourself. So, take that paper boat out by the lake and let it float away!