Origami Dolphin: Easy Origami for Kids

Ond day at the beach, you see the waves rolling towards you and you hear the roaring waves. You dig your feet into the warm sand...You keep watching the waves rolling back and forth, as you take some lazy steps by the seaside...probably a great day with a cool breeze blowing in your face while you are enjoying the day with your family. The day would be perfect if you could catch a glimpse of that jolly dolphin jumping out of the waters just for you to see. You would be thrilled if you could swim with a dolphin. Waves of hope! 

Probably, I am not making sense...but then think about it... wouldn't it be a perfect day at the beach if you could swim along with the dolphins. I am sure our kids would definitely enjoy that...anyways...if not a perfect day at the beach let's make a little dolphin with our kids to cheer them up. Here's how you could make one easy origami dolphin.

Origami Dolphin Tutorial

Level: Easy, requires no complicated folds, application of reverse out fold.

Materials required: Here, we have used 8cm x 8cm colored printer paper and a black marker. 

Procedure:

Step 01: Begin with the white side on the top facing you, if you are using two-sided colored paper or else continue as we have done. Rotate the square paper 45 deg. with one of the diagonals on the top as shown in the picture below. Make a crease along the diagonal and unfold the paper.

Step 01: Make a crease along the diagonal

Step 02: Note the dotted lines made for the next fold. You will need to fold along the dotted lines such that the top and bottom edges meet at the center in the next step.

Step 02: Note the dotted lines for the next fold.

Step 03: Fold the top and bottom edges to meet at the center as shown in the figure below. All you are actually doing is making an origami kite base. Note the dotted lines in the picture to make your next fold.

Step 03: Fold the top and bottom edges to meet at centre

Step 04: Fold the left tip along the lines shown in the last step, to touch the flaps at the center as shown below. Also, note the dotted lines for making the next fold.

Step 04: Fold in the left tip

Step 05: Fold the entire model into half along the dotted lines indicated in the last step.

Step 05: Fold into half along the center line.

Step 06: Note the dotted lines made towards the right end of the model to make a tail of the dolphin. We are going to apply a hood fold/reverse out fold in the next step.

Step 06: Prepare for reverse-out fold to make the dolphin tail

Step 07: Apply reverse-out fold to the flap as shown and the dolphin's tail is ready.

Step 07: Make a reverse-out fold for the dolphin's tail

Step 08: Use a black marker or a black sketch pen to draw the eyes of the dolphin and done.

Step 08: Draw the eyes of the dolphin 

We recycled some magazine papers and made some more dolphins. Later, we sketched out an underwater scenario with some colored pencils and used the paper dolphins. A beautiful piece of art is ready for display. Try it out with your kids. I am sure they will enjoy just as my little students did.

Underwater scenery with origami dolphins

Here's a quick preview of the steps for making the Easy Origami Dolphin on our youtube channel. Hope the tutorial is helpful.

Let's have a glimpse at what Art Hours students attempted this week.

Origami work by Art Hours student

Origami work by Art Hours student

Origami work by Art Hours student

And yes if you spot a dolphin on your next visit to the sea, don't forget to wave at it...probably it jumped out of the waters for only you to see.

Lastly, I would quote the lines by Albert Einstein - "There’s no question dolphins are smarter than humans as they play more.”

Hence, be cool, playful and lively like the Dolphins today. Have a good day!

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