Origami

Origami is a special kind of art that comes from Japan. The word means folding paper. You start with a flat square of paper. Then you fold it again and again. Soon the paper turns into a shape. It can look like a bird, a flower, or even a dragon. You do not need tape or glue. You only need your hands and some paper. Kids all over the world love to make origami.

Where Origami Comes From

Origami began a long time ago in Japan. Paper was made there many years back. At first, only rich people could use paper because it cost a lot. They folded it for gifts and parties. Later, paper became cheap. Then everyone could try it. Kids learned to fold shapes at home and at school. Today, people in many countries enjoy origami.

How to Fold Paper

To start, you use a square piece of paper. Most origami paper is thin and bright. One side has color and the other side is white. You make sharp folds with your fingers. Some folds are called valley folds. Others are called mountain folds. A famous shape is the paper crane. The crane stands for peace and hope. Frogs, boats, and hats are also easy to make.

Fun Facts

• The word origami comes from two Japanese words: ori means fold and kami means paper.
• A girl named Sadako folded paper cranes when she was sick, and now people fold cranes to wish for peace.
• Some people use math and origami to help build things like space telescopes and car airbags.

Did You Know?

There is a story that if you fold one thousand paper cranes, you can make a wish come true.