Origami n' Stuff 4 Kids

Celebrations Around the World: Boy's Day (Tango-no-sekku), May 5

Boy's Day Celebration in Hawaii

On May 5th, Japanese families throughout Hawaii display beautiful carp banners outside their homes. Called koi-nobori, each streamer traditionally symbolizes a male in the household. The largest carp at the top represents the father, followed by the eldest son, while the littlest carp at the bottom represents the youngest boy.

Watching these colorful windsocks flapping in the wind reminds one of the vigor, strength and perseverance of the koi (carp) as they swim upstream against powerful currents. Koi are also known for their longevity. They can live for as long as 50 years in the wild and have been reported to live even longer in captivity. Thus the carp is a fitting symbol for the traits desired in sons.

Inside the house, families may display heirlooms such as swords, bows, arrows and special musha-ningyo, or Boy's Day dolls, mirroring the dolls displayed during the Girl's Day Festival. Common are elaborate dolls of warriors and legendary heroes of strength and valor, some posed on beautiful horses. The earliest samurai dolls date back to the Edo period, during the18th century, when displays were commissioned by those in the samurai class. Originally, only men could fashion these samurai dolls, and their doll-making secrets were passed down from generation to generation.

Boy's Day evolved from the Shinto iris festival, Shobu-no-sekku. Shobu is the Japanese word for the iris, and it also means "striving for success." The long narrow leaves of the plant resemble swords, which boys would sometimes use to stage mock sword battles. The iris is also thought to have healing powers, and families would hang iris leaves on their houses to ward off evil spirits. Today iris leaves are still used in making kashiwa-mochi, a traditional Boy's Day rice cake.

Print and Fold Boy's Day Crafts

Boy's Day Clip Art

Origami Koi-Nobori

Make a Koi Nobori, a Boy's Day carp kite on May 5th. Traditionally, a koi is flown for every male in the household, with the largest carp on the top representing the father.

Origami: Boy's Day Carp, Koi Nobori

Celebrate Boy's Day (May 5) by folding a koi origami for every male in the household!

Difficulty: Medium

Print a blue Koi-nobori

Print a red Koi-nobori

Print a green Koi-nobori

Directions:

1a. Print and cut out origami along outer solid lines.
1b. Snip end of tale, as illustrated, to black dot.

Koi-nobori Origami

2a. Turn paper over. With printed side facing down, fold along line A as shown.
2b. Repeat fold along line B.
2c. Fold up along line C.
2d. Fold up along line D.

Koi-nobori Origami

3a. Fold in half, along diagonal line, as shown.
3b. Your origami should look like this, with a "tail" flap and a "head" flap.

Koi-nobori Origami

4a. Unfold "tail" flap. Take note of the diagonal line, highlighted here in red, on the carp's fin.
4b. Folding "tail" flap first, crease carp's fin along the highlighted line as you fold "head" flap over.
4c. Your origami should now look like this, with the fin folded as shown.

Koi-nobori Origami

5a. "Valley" fold origami tip inward along line E as shown.
5b. Fold fin up along slit. Your Koi Nobori is done!

Koi-nobori Origami

Crafts: Boy's Day Kite, Koi Nobori

Make a Koi Nobori, a Boy's Day carp kite on May 5th. Traditionally, a koi is flown for every male in the household, with the largest carp on the top representing the father.

Directions

1. Select your koi, print, and cut along outline.

2. Fold your koi in half along the vertical line, and glue along top, leaving the "mouth" open.

3. Use a hole puncher to punch holes to either side of the mouth, and attach strings.

APRIL: Easter Crafts and Origami

Cards
Easter E-Greetings

Boxes/Favors

Easter Bunny Box	Easter Chick Box
Print, Fold and Decorate an Easter Basket	Some Bunny Loves You Box

Origami

Origami Bunny Face	Origami Bunnies
Origami Easter Chick

Origami Easter Chick

Difficulty: Moderate

Directions:

1a. Print and cut out origami along outer solid lines.
1b. Snip end of feet, as illustrated, to black dot.

2a. Turn paper over. With printed side facing down, fold along line A as illustrated.
2b. Repeat fold along line A on opposite side.

2c. Fold along line B.
2d. Repeat fold along line B on opposite side.

3a. Unfold along your last fold (see 2d). Your "crease" along line B is indicated by the green dashed line. Take note of line C, as indicated by the red solid line.

3b. Unfold along line A. Your origami should appear as illustrated, with the creases as marked by colored lines. (Note: Red line C is not creased yet; the line is marked for your convenience)

4a. Now fold along B line first...

4b. Then fold over along A line, all the while creasing along line C (marked in red) to create the chick's wing.
4c. Repeat above directions on the opposite side to create the other wing. Your origami should now appear as shown.

5a. Fold back along line D.
5b. Fold beak up along line E.
5c. Crease head by folding back along line F. Unfold along line F only.

6a. Fold back along center line.
6b. Crease both ways along line G by first folding forward,
6c. Then folding backward.
6d. Your origami should now have creases along line F (green) and line G (red).

7a. Simultaneously valley fold along line G (red) and mountain fold along line F (green)...
7b. So that your chick appears as shown.

8a. Valley fold along line H.
8b. Fold inward along line I on both sides to create legs.
8c. Fold feet forward, and your chick is pau (done)!

Origami Bunnies

Four bunnies to fold! Happy Easter!

Difficulty: Easy

Directions:

Choose and Print Your Bunny:

1a. Cut out origami along outer solid lines.
1b. Fold in half along diagonal line A.

2a. Fold bunny's head back along line B.
2b. Turn your bunny over so that the printed side is facing up.

3a. Fold back along line C.
3b. Fold back along line D.
3c. Fold back along line E.
Your Origami Bunny is ready to hop!

Origami n' Stuff 4 Kids

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