DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Origami Petals (Flowers)

The petal is a very simple example of proper origami (just paper folding with no cutting or gluing), but I admit I've cheated a bit in putting the petals together into a flower.

This is one of the simplest examples of an origami project you can make -- which makes it a perfect introduction to the artform for early grade school children!  My thirteen year old still loves making them as they turn out very pretty.

If you have trouble with the instructions, try reading through the basic origami instructions section.

• Valley fold paper from edge to edge , making a rectangle.  Crease well and then unfold.

• Valley fold the triangle from the other edge to edge, crease and unfold.  You'll now have a square with a creased plus sign splitting it into 4 quarters.

• Valley fold paper from corner to corner , making a triangle.  Crease well and then unfold.

• and you end up with a square of paper with creases like this.

• Rotate your paper so one of the creased points is facing you.
   
• Valley fold the left hand point to the center of the paper (where the creases cross).
   
• Crease well!

• Valley fold the right hand point to the center of the paper (where the creases cross).
   
• Crease well!

• Valley fold bottom left side point to touch the center crease
   
• Crease well!

• Valley fold bottom right side point to touch the center crease
   
• Crease well!

• And you have a petal!  You can see that if you're using double sided paper, you get a cute pattern with the two colours.

• Make 7 more petals.
   
• Flip all of your petals over so that you're looking at the back of them
   
• Use scotch tape to attach the petals together to make an 8 petal flower

• Flip back to look at the front and admire your pretty flower!!

• I like to use two different colors of origami paper and alternate the petals to make an even fancier flower.