Some of you may noticed that I have been *but a little busy* over on YouTube lately…. YouTube is a GREAT platform to share Origami How Tos and Paper Crafts.
I find thatstep by step origami for kids photos are so much harder to follow, than easy origami for kids video tutorials (our Corner Bookmark Designs have been particularly popular!!). So I have brought together these projects here for easy browsing. I hope you love these cute and easy origami for kids ideas as much as we do! There are some HUGE Educational Benefits to Origami! Do check them out.
Let’s have a peak at these easy Origami for Kids projects!!
Other Paper Craft Resources you may enjoy
I have grouped these projects by animal, practical, decorative and stationery… but we also have a great paper craft resources under the following themes
- Christmas Paper Crafts (which goes beyond Christmas Origami Projects),
- Paper Valentine’s Day Projects for Kids,
- Paper Easter Crafts and
- Easy Easter ORIGAMI for Kids
The difference between Origami and Kirigami
There is also a difference between origami (which is uses a square piece of paper and folding techniques) and kirigami (which can use any shaped paper and requires a little cutting to0). But I find when it comes to kids, doing a mix of the two is best. We also like to embellish our paper crafts with pens or sticking on details such as kawaii eyes and facial features.
This easy origami for kids article was first published in Feb 2016 – republished and updated regularly for your convenience!
Easy Origami for Kids with Step by Step Instructions
Easy Animal Origami for Kids
This little easy Origami bunny is probably one of the best Origami Projects for kids that you can start out on (well these and the tulips, but I find that the bunnies have more appeal to both boys and girls – say what you like.. but I do find boys and girls have slightly different preferences).
Another easy Paper Bunny Origami – this rabbit is still an EASY make for kids, but probably a good “next step” from the previous slightly (!) easy bunny we shared above!
Learn how to make tangram shames and turn these tangrams into cute origami tangram chickens!
Super easy origami egg cups for kids to make! A great Origami pattern for kids to get excited about this traditional paper folding craft and technique!
So this isn’t an animal per se… but should your origami bunnies get peckish.. why not make them an Origami Carrot or two to nibble on (these would look lovely as a garland or as part on Easter Card!). Definitely part of our Easter Origami collection.
We love these ADORABLE Bunny Bookmarks are actually part of a SERIES of corner bookmarks on both my blog and YouTube channel. My YouTube viewers are forever asking for new Corner Bookmark designs.. and so I oblige! 🙂 if there is a book corner design you would like to see, leave me a comment on YouTube and I will see what I can do! These are also part of our lovely Easter Origami Ideas.
If you like these Origami Birds.. you may also like these Paper Bird Finger Puppets.
More Doodle Bird Fun! How quirky are these?
Oink oink!! Easy Origami Pig!
Not wanting to bore you to death with all our corner bookmarks…… but here is another example of our most popular bookmarks today: easy monster bookmarks. Perfect. Do check out the rest of them too!
You can have lots of fun with these Jumping Frog Origami – this is the easiest of all frog designs and they are GREAT fun to make JUMP!
As cat owners and cat lovers, we needed to have a go at these super simple Origami Cats! My kids adore them and they are as easy as the ever popular Origami Bunnies shared above.
Next steps? Check out these STANDING cute origami cats!
Now also as a set of adorable Black Cats for Halloween!
Similarly we have some cute Origami Dogs – turn them into the Puppy Emoji?
One easy origami bear.. turn it into 3 different crafts – the origami polar bear, origami panda and the origami bear
Aren’t these Origami Whales simply the cutest? Nice and easy too! Promise!! Similarly! Turn your favourite Whale Origami into a “I Whaley Whaley Like You” card – easy Valentine’s Origami Whale!
Or how about these adorable Easy Origami Dogs? If you love Scotties, you will love these little guys. Great as an on the go paper toy!
Cutest little Origami Penguins – these double up nicely as Greeting Cards or Thank You notes
And a super easy Origami Paddington Bear – adorable and suprisingly easy (turn it into Padding Bear Party invites?)
These little Paper Butterflies are still classes as “easy” in my books, however, they are better for the a child that feels a LITTLE confident in making origami crafts already. They are easy, but just need a little more skills! DO try them, as I think these Origami Butterflies make a great decoration.
EVEN easier are these Origami Butterflies! Aren’t they just so pretty?!
We haev another great Origami Butterflies pattern here
Here is an Origami classic – and a fantastic Origami project for beginners – The Origami Swan, it very much has that “classic” Origami look about it and introduces some basic folds (i.e. the head) that you will find in many origami projects for kids. So do take a look at this easy paper swan. It is cute and teaches you great skills!
Super cute and EASY Origami Bats. The kids will love these! Simliarly.. you can turn your lovely bat into an: I am Batty About You – Valentine’s Origami Bat – Bookmark or greeting card.
Decorative Origami for Kids
Actually, ALL origami is decorative, including MANY of the lovely ideas above, but I had to somehow group these sections to make browsing easier…. Maybe I should have done it by Origami season!!! Ha.
We adore these origami tulips. The head of the tulip is SUPER easy for kids to make. You can make just the head and then stick it on a card and draw the rest, creating a wonderful tulip collage – perfect for mother’s day. The stems are still easy, but I would say a “next step” for a child, who is a little bit more confident in the basics of origami!
And another CUTE Halloween Origami – learn how to make these easy origami ghosts – they look great on their own, as bookmarks, as part of a greeting card and are quickly and easily transformed into a origami garland too! Adorable. Part of our collection of Halloween Origami projects!
Have some doodle fun with these Witch Hat Origami patterns. Make your basic Witch Hat and then decorate to your heart’s content. They would look fabulous strung up as a garland too. More Halloween Origami ideas here.
I love this Paper Star Wreath – my 10yrs old neighbour taught me how to make this Origami Star, which doubles up nicely as a wreath too. Make it in any colour combination and it looks simply wonderful!
We love these little Origami Christmas Tree – they are definitely for a slightly more confident child, but once you have the hang of it, it is super easy and fun to make.. and you will be making 100s all day long!
I ADORE these 3D Paper Star Bowls – they look great, but are also practical!
Play Origami for Kids
These are the Origami Projects for kids that you can then PLAY with!
I ADORE these oh so easy Paper House. This is a craft from childhood memories and is super duper easy to make.. you can then decorate and play. We LOVED making it as part of a “3 Little Pigs Play Set” we created.
A nice take on the very simple paper cups origami. These Origami Paper Cups can be used in SO MANY different ways – from this simple ball toss game, to actually drinking water from them, to hanging 24 in a row and making your own Origami Advent calendar.. so many possibilities and one easy paper cup Origami craft!
Similarly we made some SUPER cute Black Cat Paper Cups – these are a lovely little decoration or work well as finger puppets too. A fabulous paper Halloween Craft indeed!
We also have a fantastic Frankenstein Ball & Cup game made out of origami! Another fun and easy Halloween Origami Project!
These are some very special CHRISTMAS COOTIE CATCHERS. You can either print out our free Christmas printables… or watch the video and make your own “plain” Origami fortune teller that you can decorate and write in yourself! Yes.. this is most DEFINITELY a childhood class and every child should learn to make one!
Another childhood classic origami pattern are these adorable little Origami Boats or Paper Boats. This is one of the first origami patterns I taught my children (eventhough many of the above origami for kids ideas are easier), because I have a personal strong association with these from my childhood… you can make them, any time, anywhere and have lots of playful fun! Love.
A little harder, but still manageable are these DIY Paper Water Bombs. So much summer fun!!
Also..have lost of fun with these easy diy ORIGAMI Ninja Stars. There are a number of paper Ninja Stars to explore, we think this pattern is one of the easiest! And you can easily adapt it to make a PAPER Fidget Spinner out of it!
Other Origami Patterns to try
Adorable Origami Dress Pattern – quick to learn, fun to make!
And the same pattern and be easily converted into a darling POP UP Dress Card for Mother’s Day, Prom’s Day or a Wedding Card!
Easy Origami Shirts with Superman Logos (learn to draw these!)
Stationery Origami for Kids
Practical origami projects that you can use!
Fabulous Paper Box! Great for small gifts and trinkets!
Similarly we have a fabulous rectangular Origami Box for you to check out and try too!
We do love these cute mini concertina photo albums! Adorable!
Cute and easy Origami Rings!
These little heart bookcorners “technically” are more Kirigami can Origami.. but they are so cute and again, so easy, that I think they need including in an round up of easy origami for kids!!! You don’t HAVE to use them as bookmarks, again, these would look really nice on a DIY Valentine’s Day Card or similar!
Similarly there is a TINY bit of cutting involved in these fabulous MINI NOTEBOOKS. Making them Kirigami and not origami.. but no glue needed! Aren’t they fun.
Adorable Cute Origami Envelopes – decorated as Winter Animals
These are super simple Origami Envelope Chicks!!! Write a letter, fold your envelope, decorate and post!! Job done. And OH SO CUTE!
Learn how to make newspaper origami envelopes! And decorate them in bright colours.
Whilst on the lovely Paper Owl Crafts.. check out these oh so cute Paper Owl Pencil Toppers! Darling! They double up nicely as Owl Finger Puppets too!
More fabulous Origami for Kids from sites we love!
From sites we love…. we adore these origami faces from Pink Stripey Socks. Aren’t they simply fun!?
Fantastic little Origami Mushrooms. Aren’t they adorable? The little worms are just the best little detail. Check out the wonderful Krokotak for full step by step origami for kids instructions!
For the NEXT LEVEL , ie Intermediate Origami for Kids, take a look at these:
Origami Boomerang that really comes back
So.. are you tempted to give these beginner origami for kids projects a go?! I do hope so. Have lots and lots of fun exploring these paper crafts!
If you liked the DIY Bookmark corners above.. we have now put them all together for you here over 20 designs to choose from!
We also have a dedicated section for Halloween Origami and Easter Origami!
Oluseye says
These are wonderful craft and I really shud try them out with my kids. My kids would love the Origami lucky stars more. #Beautiful
anita says
so amazing ideas… loved it……
shri sai ram says
Can you show some activity with paper plate crafts
Red Ted Art says
have lots here https://www.redtedart.com/paper-plate-crafts-2/ enjoy!