Origami n' Stuff 4 Kids

More Origami Coming Soon!

Here are the latest origami projects that I am working on...


High resolution Vampire Bat origami, front and back views


High resolution, accurate butterflies. Painted Lady butterfly and Malachite butterfly, dorsal and ventral views.

Origami: Humpback Whale

Difficulty: Easy

Directions (use same directions as for dolphin):

1a. Print and cut out origami and dorsal fin.
1b. Snip end of tale, as illustrated, to red dot.

2a. Turn origami over. With printed side down, fold along A as illustrated.
2b. Repeat fold along B.
2c. Fold along C.
2d. Fold along D.

3a. Fold in half, diagonally along F, as illustrated.
3b. Your origami should look like this, with a "tail" flap and a "head" flap.

4a. Unfold "tail" flap. Take note of the diagonal line, highlighted here in red, on the dolphin/whale's flipper.

4b. Folding "tail" flap first, crease dolphin's flipper along the highlighted line as you fold "head" flap over.

4c. Your origami should now look like this, with the flipper folded as shown.

5a. "Valley" fold origami tip inward along E as illustrated.
5b. Fold dorsal fin in half, along solid line, as illustrated.

6. Fold tail fluke down. Tape/glue dorsal fin into place. Your marine mammal is done!

©2009 Tammy Yee
All rights reserved.
No portion of this website may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the author.

Lady Bug-a-rama...Ladybug Origami and More...

Ladybug feeding on aphids. Photo by Greyson Orlando

The ladybug is the state insect of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio and Tennessee. In Massachusetts, it was a group of second graders from Kennedy School in Franklin who petitioned to make the ladybug their state's official insect.

Why ladybugs so popular?

Farmers and gardeners know how aphids, mites and scales can damage plants by sucking the sap from them. Ladybugs are beneficial because both adults and larvae prey on these pests.

The most common species is the convergent ladybug, which can be recognized by the 13 spots on its red to orange wings. Convergent ladybug larva eat their weight in aphids every day, and adults eat up to 50 aphids a day. Its larger European cousin, the seven-spot ladybug, has an even bigger appetite, devouring up to 300 aphids every day.

Bug or Beetle?

Ladybugs, or ladybirds, are not bugs at all. They are actually beetles.

Bugs have needle-like mouths that they use like straws to puncture their food so they can suck out nectar, sap or animal fluids. Bugs may or may not have wings. If they do, their wings are thin, like membranes. Baby bugs look like mini adult bugs...without the wings.

Beetles have chewing mouth parts, and feed on a wide range of plants and animals. Adult bugs have hard forewings that cover and protect the thin, membranous hindwings. And beetles, unlike bugs, undergo a complete metamorphosis. Beetle larvae, which look very different from adults, must enter a pupal stage before it transforms itself into an adult with hard outer wings.

Ladybugs gather in Mill Valley, California.

Photo by Kristopher Anderson.

Fun Facts:

There are over 450 species of ladybugs in North America alone. Of these, two, the Mexican bean beetle and the squash beetle, feed on plants and are considered pests.

Ladybugs spend the winter gathering in large groups beneath rocks, in leafy litter, or in hollowed trunks. In the spring they emerge to feed and find a place to lay their eggs.

Print and fold an Origami Ladybug:

Difficulty: Easy

Directions:

1. Print and cut out Ladybug Origami along outer solid line.

2. With printed side facing down, fold in half diagonally as shown.

3a. Turn origami over.
3b. Fold wing down, as shown.
3c. Repeat on other side.

4. Turn origami over. Fold ladybug's head forward, as shown, then up, as shown.

5. Turn origami over. Fold corner of wing back, as shown.

6. Repeat on other side, folding corner of wing back. Finally, fold corner of abdomen back as shown.

More Ladybug Crafts:

The National Wildlife Federation's Ladybug Garden Rock:

Natural Suburbia's Knitted Ladybug Pattern:

Origami: Sea Otter

Sea otters are one of the few mammals, aside from primates (monkeys and apes), to use tools. Floating on the surface of the water, they sometimes place a rock on their chest, using it as a hard surface to smash open shelled food like clams and abalone. Have you ever wondered how otters carry all that stuff to the surface? In their armpits! Try that with an urchin--better yet, don't try it. Learn more about otters...

Difficulty: Easy

Directions:

1. Print and cut out Origami Otter along outer solid lines.

2. With printed side facing down, fold up along red diagonal line 1.

3. Turn origami over. Fold down along diagonal line 2.

4. Turn over. Your Origami Otter should look like this:

5. Fold otter head up along line 3.

6. Fold otter hind legs and tail up along line 4.

Your otter is ready for a swim!

©2009 Tammy Yee
All rights reserved.
May not be reproduced without permission.

Coloring: Green Sea Turtle

Tiger Lily Origami

These brightly colored flowers can be found in open woods and forest openings throughout western North America, from British Columbia to California, and Idaho to Nevada. Tiger lilies are edible, and can be used as cake decorations. Native Americans boiled or steamed the bulbs, and Chinese planted lilies in rows for food. And who can forget the character Tiger Lily in Peter Pan, the Piccaninny princess of Neverland, who was kidnapped by Captain Hook?

Print and fold a Tiger Lily

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Directions: Follow the same instructions as the Camellia.

1. Print and cut out Tiger Lily origami along outer solid lines.

2a. With printed side facing down, fold half along horizontal line as shown. Unfold.
2b. Fold in half along vertical line as shown. Unfold.

3. With printed side facing up, fold in half along diagonal line as shown. Unfold.

4. Your Tiger Lily origami should be creased as shown:

5. Fold along blue lines, pulling in on red lines to create a "tent" fold as shown. Your Tiger Lily should now be shaped like a diamond.

6a. Fold back right white corner as shown.
6b. Repeat on other side, folding left white corner back as shown.

7. Turn your origami over.

8. Repeat process, folding back right and left white corners.

9."Open" your Tiger Lily by pulling out right petal, then pulling out left petal.

10. Complete your Tiger Lily by folding back down, as shown.

Origami n' Stuff 4 Kids

Pages

Search This Blog