Origami Art Book
45 Minutes: 6 and up: Open Ended
Origami Art Book
Intro
It is important to expose your children to different cultures in order to allow them to become well-rounded adults. Creating Origami Art Books with your children is a great way to introduce them to a bit of Japanese art and culture.
Set Up Ideas
Encourage your children to brainstorm for the stories that they want to tell in their Origami Art Books. Consider providing a lead sentence or theme for them to follow.
Let’s Get Started
Since your children may still be fine-tuning their motor skills, they may require a little extra help preparing their Origami Art Books. In order to give more individualized attention to your children to help develop their skills, you may consider breaking them into smaller groups.
STEP 1
Prepare the paper by creating creases. Fold two 9" x 9" paper squares three times. Fold in half to form a rectangle, then in half to form a square, then once more to form a triangle. Unfold but keep the creases flexible.
STEP 2
Notice quadrants formed by the creases. Match one from each sheet and glue the two together. Fold the other three corners in to touch the corner that matches the center of the other square of paper.
STEP 3
Flip the book over and repeat the previous step again. Note that a scraper may help with creases if needed.
STEP 4
Create a cover by gluing strips of paper onto front and back like a collage. Alternatively, you may wish to paint or draw designs onto the paper directly.
Since the Origami Art Book opens doors to a culture that your children may not be familiar with, encourage them to discuss places that they have traveled to or places that they dream of traveling to one day. Perhaps some of your children have lived in other countries. Encourage them to share their experiences.
Tips and Tricks
While the folding required in this project may make it suitable for children aged 6 and older, it can be modified for a younger class. If you fold and glue the Origami Art Books ahead of time, your children who are a bit younger can decorate and paint them.
Follow up Activity
To take this activity to the next level or make it more interesting for an older age group, create challenging prompts for the children to create stories around. Consider mandating the use of vocabulary words or a form of poetry.
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