Origami guide
How to make a paper boat
The classic boat that starts life as a paper hat. Fold it from printer paper, then float it in the bath or a puddle.
- Little folder
- About 10 minutes
- 10 steps
You will need
A sheet of printer paper, A4 or US letter. For a small boat, cut a 15 cm (6 in) square of origami paper to 15 × 10.5 cm.
The paper boat is a model nearly everyone learns from a grandparent: first a hat, then a boat. Printer paper is the right size and shape, and newspaper makes a big one. It floats until the paper soaks through, so have a few ready for bath time.
Step by step
How to read the diagrams
- Valley fold: fold towards you
- Mountain fold: fold away from you
- Crease you made earlier
- Fold, then unfold
- Pull out or open
- Turn the paper over
- Push in here
New to folding? Start with how to start origami, which shows each fold.
Step 1
Fold in half
Hold the sheet upright. Fold it in half, top edge down to the bottom edge.
Step 2
Mark the middle
Keep the fold at the top. Fold the paper in half side to side and unfold, to mark the middle.
Step 3
Fold the top corners down
Fold the two top corners down so they meet on the centre line. A strip of paper is left at the bottom.
Step 4
Fold up the front strip
Fold the front layer of the bottom strip up over the triangle. Turn over.
Step 5
Fold up the back strip
Fold the other strip up the same way. You have a paper hat. Try it on.
Step 6
Open into a diamond
Put your thumbs inside the hat at the bottom and pull the middles of the two brims apart. The two corners come together. Flatten it into a diamond, tucking one end of the brim under the other.
Step 7
Fold the bottom point up
Fold the bottom point of the front layer up to the top point. Turn over and fold the back layer up the same way. You have a triangle.
Step 8
Open into a smaller diamond
Open the triangle from the bottom again, bringing its two corners together, and flatten it into a smaller diamond.
Step 9
Pull it apart into a boat
Hold the two loose points at the top, one in each hand, and pull them apart slowly. The boat opens out, with the sail standing up in the middle.
Step 10
Shape the boat
Flatten the boat and pinch the sail into shape. Open out the hull underneath a little so it sits flat on water. Your boat is finished.
Tips
- Crease hard. A boat with sharp creases holds its shape on the water.
- Steps 6 and 8 are the tricky ones. Go slowly, and let the paper flatten along the folds it already has.
- Make it last. Rub a wax crayon over the outside of the hull and it floats for longer.
- Decorate first. Draw portholes, a name or a flag on the paper before you fold.
Fold another
The origami heart and the fox face are just as quick. For a challenge, try the paper crane.