Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

Instructions for Origami Crocodiles

The word "origami" is derived from the Japanese words "oru" and "kami," meaning "to fold" and "paper," respectively. Paper originated in China about 105 A.D., but was largely restricted to ceremonial and religious purposes. Paper folding evolved in Japan as a recreational art as well as a ceremonial one. Folding an origami crocodile may become easier with experience, but still requires only a few steps.

Things You'll Need

1 sheet of origami paper

Instructions

- 1
  Rotate the origami paper 45 degrees so that it makes a diamond shape. Flip the paper over so that the blank side is up. Fold the bottom corner to the top, crease and unfold.
- 2
  Fold the bottom and top corners into the center so that they meet in the middle, creating a kite shape.
- 3
  Fold the new top and bottom corners toward each other so that they meet in the center. Unfold the smaller lower corner, then reverse the fold along the crease line. Pinch the piece that sticks up into a crease. Repeat this reverse fold on the top corner.
- 4
  Lay the creases that stick up down toward the right-hand corner. Rotate the paper 45 degrees so that the right-hand corner becomes the bottom.
- 5
  Use your finger to pop open the uppermost creases, then collapse them, creasing the left and right side. Fold the top and bottoms of these diamonds into their respective centers to create another kite shape.
- 6
  Pop these two open with your finger, then open the top corner and crease to open a blank-sided diamond. These will be the eyes. Move back to the top and bottom corners of the entire paper. Fold these up to make small triangles.
- 7
  Crease the whole piece down the middle. Push your thumb up under the eyes and hold the piece in half without creasing.
- 8
  Create a crease at the back of the eyes, midway between the eyes and the mouth.
- 9
  Pop the crease created from Step 7 forward to complete the crocodile.

Other Hobbies