Home >> Toys >> Other Toys

How to Make Paper Keelboats

The art of paper folding (origami) is a favorite pastime of children and adults alike. Keelboats are usually the first thing you make since it's easy. You can make a keelboat with just a piece of paper, and it will float, too. You can use just about any paper: chocolate wrapping, newspapers, notebook paper. The bigger the paper, the easier the task. Use A4 paper for your first keelboat. Use printer paper to make the boat float longer.

Instructions

- 1
  Put a piece of paper on a table or any other flat surface.
- 2
  Fold the paper half along its width. Orient the paper vertically, with the folding facing upward.
- 3
  Take the left side of the paper and fold it to the right side. Undo the fold. This step makes it easier to find the middle of the rectangle.
- 4
  Fold the top left corner of the paper down so that it comes in the middle. Fold the top right corner of the paper similarly. The two corners should meet in the center, and a triangle will form at the top. A smaller rectangle will remain at the bottom.
- 5
  Take the upper side of the rectangle and fold it up onto the triangle. Take the opposite side and fold it in the same manner, but onto the other side of the triangle. The paper should look like a paper hat.
- 6
  Fold the overlapping parts of the rectangles along the edge of the triangle. The paper should now resemble a big triangle.
- 7
  Turn the triangle 90 degrees. Put your thumbs inside the opening at triangle's base and open the triangle. Fold the upper part onto the lower part so that you get two equal halves. The paper is now a square.
- 8
  Fold the lower triangle in half, upwards.
- 9
  Turn the paper and repeat Step 8.
- 10
  Repeat Step 7. The paper is now a square formed of two vertical triangles.
- 11
  Take the upper corners of the triangles. Pull the left one to the left and right one to the right. The boat is finished.

Other Toys