Three travel-themed paper folding projects with step-by-step diagrams. One sheet of paper per project.
✈️ Classic Dart Paper Airplane
BeginnerAges 5 and up1 sheet letter or A42 to 3 minutes
Before you start: Use a standard sheet of paper. Flat smooth folds make a straighter flying plane. Press each crease firmly with your fingernail or thumbnail.
Step 1
Lay paper flat with the long edge going left and right. Fold in half by bringing the left edge to meet the right edge. Crease down the middle and unfold.
Step 2
Fold the top-left corner down and in so the top edge lines up with the center crease. The corner should now point toward the middle of the page.
You are creating a triangle in the top-left area.
Step 3
Now fold the top-right corner down the same way so the top-right edge meets the center crease. You should have a pointed nose at the top center.
Step 4
Fold the new top-left edge in to the center again to create a second inner fold on the left wing. Repeat on the right side. This tightens the nose.
The top is getting narrower and more pointed.
Step 5
Fold the entire plane in half along the original center crease from step 1. The two wings fold up together. The nose should now point to the right when you hold it sideways.
Step 6
Fold the top wing down so its top edge lines up with the bottom edge of the plane body. Flip the plane over and fold the second wing down the same way.
Both wings should be flat, even and pointing outward.
Step 7 Ready
Open the wings flat. Hold the body just behind the nose with your thumb below and index finger on top. Throw forward smoothly. Bend wingtips slightly up for a longer glide.
Throw gently for distance or harder for speed. Adjust wingtips to change flight path.
⛵ Origami Boat
BeginnerAges 6 and up1 sheet letter or A43 to 5 minutes
Before you start: This boat actually floats briefly when made from waxed paper. Regular printer paper works fine for practice. Make every crease as sharp as possible for the best shape.
Step 1
Fold the paper in half horizontally (top down to bottom) so the short edges meet. Keep the fold at the top. Crease firmly.
Step 2
Fold the top-left corner of the folded edge down to the center of the bottom edge. The left portion of the top now forms a triangle pointing down and right.
Step 3
Fold the top-right corner down the same way to meet the center. Both triangles meet in the middle. The top now looks like a large downward pointing triangle.
Step 4
Fold the bottom rectangular flap upward so it covers the base of both triangles. Flip the whole shape over and fold the back flap up the same way. Crease both firmly.
Step 5
Your shape should now look like a pointed party hat or crown. Hold it with both hands at the two bottom corners. Push both thumbs inside the opening at the bottom.
Step 6
Pull the two bottom corners outward and flatten the shape into a diamond. The corners that were at the top and bottom of the hat become the left and right points. Press the new flat edges firmly.
Step 7
Fold the bottom triangle of the front layer up to the top point. Flip and do the same on the back. You should have a small triangle at top and a flat edge at the bottom.
Step 8 Ready
Pull the two side points outward gently to open the boat. Flatten the bottom slightly by pressing down. The boat shape will open. Try floating it in a bowl of water.
Waxed paper or origami paper will float longer than printer paper.
🐦 Origami Crane
Intermediate BeginnerAges 8 and up1 square sheet5 to 8 minutes
Important: The crane requires a square sheet of paper. Trim a regular sheet into a square first if needed. Origami paper from a craft store works best. Steps 5 and 6 are the trickiest. Take your time there.
Step 1
Fold the square in half from left to right, crease firmly, then unfold. Fold in half from top to bottom, crease firmly, then unfold. You now have a cross-shaped crease pattern.
Step 2
Flip the paper over (colored side down if using origami paper). Fold corner to corner diagonally both ways, crease each one, then unfold both. You now have an X pattern on this side.
Step 3
Bring all four corners together toward the center-bottom by pushing the sides inward. The paper collapses into a small square with two layers on each side. This is called the preliminary base.
This takes practice. Use your fingers to guide the four corners to meet at the bottom point.
Step 4
On the top layer only, fold both bottom side edges in to meet the center crease. Then fold the top triangle down over these. Unfold all three folds. Flip and do the same on the other side, then unfold.
You are just creating crease marks for the next step.
Step 5
Lift the top layer from the bottom point upward. Use the existing creases from step 4 to squash it flat into a long narrow diamond shape. Flip the whole shape and repeat on the back side.
This is the bird base. You now have four long points: top, bottom, left and right.
Step 6
Fold the two lower side edges of the front layer in to meet the center vertical line. The bottom section gets very narrow. Flip and repeat on the back. All four side flaps should now be folded in tight.
Step 7
Fold one of the two bottom points up between the front layers on the left to form the neck. Fold the other bottom point up on the right to form the tail. Both should now point upward.
Spread the layers apart gently to insert each point before folding it up.
Step 8 Ready
Pinch the very tip of the neck and fold it slightly downward to form the beak. Gently pull the wings apart to open and puff up the crane body. Press the bottom flat and your crane is complete.
In Japan, folding 1,000 cranes is said to grant a wish. One is a fine start.