Origami for Kids?

[JenneinCA]

My dd9 is interested in origami. Do you have any recommendations for books that are for beginners but still make cool stuff?

 

We have been making paper airplanes as part of a unit on flight and the question of what else you can make is spurring this interest and I would like to support it.

 

 

Thank you.

[runningirl71]

We lived in Asia for almost 10 years and my kids LOVE origami! Since I have "seasoned" origami pros, I haven't had too much experience with a beginner book (the kids learned how to do all the folds in school) but KLUTZ has a book and I have been very pleased with all my KLUTZ book purchases in the past, I bet this one is great too.

 

Does your Walmart or similar store still have calendars in stock? My Father buys my Mother an origami calendar every year. You do one object a day, using the previous days calendar paper (it is colored or textured on the back).

 

Also, I just found this website: Activity Village that is run out of the UK. There is a lot about origami on it, with little videos on how to do the folds and activities posted on the site. I just quickly perused it, but it looks fun!

 

Happy folding!

[LisaNY]

I do Origami programs at the library. (I just got back from doing one today.)

 

I have found most of my Origami ideas at the library and internet. I'd start there. Do you have a local craft store that carries Origami paper? Since it is white on one side, it makes it much easier to follow the instructions, as they are usually shown in two-tone. If not, regular copier paper is fine - just cut it into squares.

 

Have fun! :001_smile:

[K&Rs Mom]

No book recommendations, but look here (for free!): http://cp.c-ij.com/english/3D-papercraft/origami/trick-cat-fish_e.html

[3lilreds in NC]

I found this site, and printed off the Easy patterns and put them in a little notebook for my dd who loves Origami.

 

This site is fun:

 

http://tammyyee.com/origami.html

 

She has lots of stuff that you can print and fold, like brightly colored frogs etc.

 

Here's another good one:

 

http://www.paperfolding.com/

 

Here's Robert Lang's site, he's done several of the Origami books I've seen:

 

http://www.langorigami.com/

 

Good place for ordering Origami supplies, if you can't find them locally (Michael's does have paper, but you can get more and it's cheaper here):

 

http://www.kimscrane.com/

 

Here's a few sites that look promising, but I haven't visited them yet:

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/origami_for_kids.htm

http://www.origami-fun.com/origami-for-kids.html

http://www.origami-resource-center.com/easy-origami.html

 

HTH!

 

Beth

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Klutz makes an Origami kit that comes with enough paper to make all the designs in the book.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Klutz-Origami-Kit/dp/B0006JMI5A/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1216152397&sr=8-3

[Myrtle]

I don't know what you would consider cool stuff, but we were really big on Origami and fitting it into our math program---it climaxed in a four foot truncated icosahedron constructed aof units with a tie dyed print on the paper.

 

I used origami a lot because it teaches the kids to follow instructions: They are more motivated to be careful. And also because if you choose the right kind of origami to do you can demonstrate a lot of neat math concepts with it. That said, you'll understand why these were my "cool" choices.

 

The best book available for a beginner is

 

1. Polyhedron Origami for beginners by miyuki kawamura.

 

And then I'd follow up with

2. Amazing Origami by Kunhiko Kasahara

 

Kasahara's book is interesting because he talks about something called "constructibility" which is a big deal in geometry and also he has a manipulative that demonstrates the gemetric series and another two page spread discussing how to divide a piece of paper into a prime number of parts. In other words, How would I go about dividing a piece of paper into 11 perfectly equal parts if I can't use a ruler?

 

I used Kasahara's book with my son when he was about nine and he got a lot out of it.

 

One of my favorites which results in beautiful pieces but is difficult to make is "Fabulous Origami Boxes" by Tomoko Fuse

 

And another by Tomoko Fuse which is more comprehensive, this is a thick book, than the others but less motivating because of the black and white photos is "Unit Origami Multidimensional Transformations"

 

And finally the last one is Mathematical Origami by David Mitchell.

 

Also I didn't use regular origami paper because it was too expensive for large projects, a project using unit origami can use up hundreds of squares. I bought scrap booking squares in packs of 1000.

 

Now I've given even that up and just cut the squares with a paper cutter.

[JenneinCA]

You are all a wealth of information!

 

I have bookmarked the sites and wish listed the books. I am sure we will have fun building new things with paper.

 

Thank you!