Making an Easy Origami Boat

By
Chrissy Pk
Chrissy Pk
Chrissy Pk
Chrissy Pushkin, also known as Chrissy Pk, is an origami and paper craft expert and writer with 15 years of experience. Chrissy founded the popular website and YouTube channel, Paper Kawaii, where she creates tutorials, templates, printable origami paper, and handmade crafts.
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Updated on 04/01/20
origami traditional boat

The Spruce Crafts / Chrissy Pk

Project Overview
  • Total Time: 10 mins

Origami comes from the Japanese. The word means the art of folding paper. "Ori" means "folding," and kami means "paper." In modern usage, the word "origami" is used as an inclusive term for all folding practices. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques.

Learn how to make the most well-known origami boat with this quick and easy step-by-step tutorial. This origami boat can also float in water.

1:53

Watch Now: How to Make an Origami Boat

This origami boat is a great model to teach kids. It is similar to the origami hat that you make with newspaper. Also, origami can be a great math-related activity for kids as your child creates using geometry.

What You'll Need

Materials

  • 1 Rectangular sheet of paper

Instructions

  1. Make the First Folds

    Start with your rectangular paper, orient it vertically, with the long edges going up and down. Fold the bottom half up to the top.Fold the bottom right corner over to the left corner and make a small pinch, just enough to crease the paper. Open it back up.

    Hands folding origami paper
    The Spruce Crafts / Chrissy Pk

  2. Create a Triangle Shape

    Using the crease as a guide, fold the left and right bottom corners up and to the middle. Flatten the folded pieces down. Rotate the paper. Fold one layer from the bottom up along the bottom of the front flaps.

    Hands folding an origami boat
    The Spruce Crafts / Chrissy Pk

  3. A Boat Begins to Take Shape

    Flip the paper over to the other side. Fold the bottom edge up in the same way. Unfold, and then fold the bottom right corner in along the crease you made. Repeat on the bottom left flap.

    Hands folding the origami traditional boat
    The Spruce Crafts / Chrissy Pk

  4. Form the Bottom of the Boat

    Re-fold the bottom edge back up. Open the bottom of the model. Look at the corners. Flatten and then insert the overlapping flap on the left underneath the right section.

    Hands shaping an origami boat
    The Spruce Crafts / Chrissy Pk

  5. Continue Folding

    Fold one layer up to the top. Repeat on the back. Open the bottom of the model.

    Hands folding origami traditional boat
    The Spruce Crafts / Chrissy Pk

  6. Finalize the Folds

    Pull apart the left and right flaps. Flatten it out, in the shape of a boat. Open it slightly. The triangle in the middle resembles a sail.

    Hands folding origami traditional boat
    The Spruce Crafts / Chrissy Pk