It was about this time the term origami first became used to describe paper folding as a pastime. Froebel used what became known as Froebelian folds to teach basic principles of geometry and this technique was introduced to Japanese schools in 1880. This theory arose because German educator and inventor of kindergarten, Friedrich Froebel, was a proponent of paperfolding. It could also be a direct translation of the German word papierfalten, which means to fold paper. First is ori which means to fold and second is kami, meaning paper.Īlthough this explanation is thought to be likely, it is by no means the only possibility as to why this craft got its name. The name origami is generally thought to originate from two smaller Japanese words. However, if you believe art is creation of something purely for the pleasure of creating it, then origami can be considered an art form.

Great minds have debated about what qualifies as art. As origami is a Japanese word, it became primarily seen as a Japanese activity. The term origami emerged in Japan in the late 1800’s. Here it was further developed into a practice known as papiroflexia.

In the meantime, the Moors brought a form of mathematically-based paper folding to Spain. However, in the 1600’s it became a popular artform in Japan and it is here that the first known written origami instructions were recorded in 1797.Īt this stage, the practice was called orikata, meaning “folded paper.”

While it is assumed by many that origami is a strictly Japanese pastime, it is most likely to have originated in China (3). Origami was also used to teach some basic principles of mathematics.Īs paper became more widely available, origami was also practiced to create decorations and purely for the purposes of artistic enjoyment (2). These paper sculptures were made for ceremonial or religious purposes. It is thought that religious leaders and monks were the first to practice origami. Therefore, it was used primarily by royal households, monks, and religious leaders for recording important texts. Initially, paper was a rare and expensive item. Paper, as we know it today, was invented by the Chinese approximately 2,000 years ago (1). However, in many origami tutorials for children, the addition of a dot for an eye or a line for a mouth can often be found. True origami does not allow any marking of the paper. It’s essentially paper-folding for kids or adults. The sculpture must be made without making any cuts to the paper, nor can any form of sticky tape or glue be used.

Fold one step at a time, making sure they have completed the step before continuing.Origami is the art of making folds in a square of paper to create a sculpture. It’s hard to follow someone’s instruction from opposite, try sitting next to the child, so that the paper is the same way up as theirs. The most important thing to remember is to have fun! Origami is not meant to be a stressful or unpleasant activity, if the child is unhappy while folding, you should try a simpler origami model.īefore trying to help anyone with an origami project, make sure you know what you are doing, take a few minutes beforehand to fold the origami model at least once so that you can help the other person. Here are a couple of tips if you are an adult or older sibling who would like to help young kids with their origami projects. It doesn’t matter if you only have regular printer paper to work with. All you need to make these easy origami models is a single sheet of paper. Very young children may need a hand with some of the folds. Each of these origami models can be folded with children. These origami instructions for kids are fun and easy to make.

Origami easy