DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Origami Petals (Butterfly)

butterflyThe petal is a very simple example of proper origami (just paper folding with no cutting or gluing).

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.

Materials:

Instructions:

  • Valley fold paper from edge to edge , making a rectangle.  Crease well and then unfold.
fold edge to edge 
  • 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.
fold edge to edge 
  • Valley fold paper from corner to corner , making a triangle.  Crease well and then unfold.
fold corner to corner 
  • and you end up with a square of paper with creases like this.
creased paepr 
  • 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!
fold point to center 
  • Valley fold the right hand point to the center of the paper (where the creases cross).
  • Crease well!
fold point to center 
  • Valley fold bottom left side point to touch the center crease
  • Crease well!
fold left side to center line 
  • Valley fold bottom right side point to touch the center crease
  • Crease well!
right side to crease
  • 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.
completed petal 
  • Make 4 more petals.  One of them can be a different color (this will be the body).
  • Take the body petal and fold it three more times -- first valley fold the left hand edge to the center crease.
body step 1 
  • Second, valley fold the right hand edge to the center crease
butterfly step 2 
  • Last, valley fold the top point down about 1/4 of the way to make the head.
  • Crease well or put a drop of glue so it stays down.
  • Optional:  Glue two wiggly eyes onto the head.
step 3 
  • Tape the full sized petals, two per side onto the body to complete your butterfly!
origami butterfly 

 

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