Download printable step-by-step instructions to make an origami bird plus get ideas for math lesson plans that incorporate the bird!
Origami Bird Instructions for Kids
Teach your students how to make one of the most popular origami projects out there — an origami bird — with this set of easy instructions designed for kids.
With just 9 steps to follow, this relatively simple origami activity is perfect for kindergarten and 1st-grade students who are still working on those fine motor skills, but just challenging enough that your 2nd and 3rd graders will love it too. You can show students the diagram for folding an origami bird and walk them through each step, then hand out printed instructions for each child to follow individually.
Using Origami in Math Class
Looking to add origami to your math lessons? Here are a few ways to use these origami birds, depending on the grade level you’re teaching:
- Kindergarten: Have your students count the number of triangles and squares used to make an origami bird and compare their results with a partner.
- 1st Grade: Ask your students to describe the basic shapes (triangle, rectangle, and square) used in creating their origami bird and how they were used. Have them explain the steps they took to create their bird.
- 2nd Grade: Once their birds are finished, challenge students to label the length, width, and height of the different sections of their birds.
- 3rd Grade: Create your own origami bird for your class to illustrate the concepts of one-half, one-third, or one-fourth for a fractions lesson.
How to Make an Origami Bird
Download the printable PDF of the origami instructions. To access the PDF, select the drop-down menu beside the “download” button to choose from a black-and-white or color version.
Print a copy for each student in the classroom to create their origami birds individually, or project the PDF onto your whiteboard for a whole class activity.
You’ll also need small square pieces of paper — we used blue to make these birds look more like doves — and a crayon or black marker for adding eyes to the bird.
More Origami Animal Activities for Kids
Don’t stop at birds! Here are some more fun origami animals with simple classroom guides:
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