Make an Origami Jumping Frog

You can make a cute, springy frog using nothing more than a piece of paper and some folding skills. When you press down on the frog's behind, it really jumps! To make an origami jumping frog, just follow these steps.

Steps

  1. Choose a piece of paper to use. You can use ordinary computer paper, colored paper, or origami paper. If you use rectangular paper, you'll need to have a scissors handy so you can cut it into a square. Lay it flat on the table in front of you.
  2. Fold the top corners toward the center of the paper. First fold the top right corner over diagonally, so that the tip of the corner aligns with the opposite side of the paper. Press the fold with your finger to create a crease, then unfold it. Now do the same with the top left corner, folding it diagonally so that the tip aligns with the right edge of the paper. Press the fold to create a second crease, then unfold it. You've now created a creased "X."
    • If your paper is rectangular, go ahead and cut off the extra rectangle at the bottom to make a perfect square. Note that true origami only uses folding to create shapes, which means no cutting or tearing is allowed. But if you're using rectangular paper, it can't be helped.
  3. Fold the paper in half. Hold the paper on the table in front of you so that the bottom edge is facing you. Fold the top half of the paper so that the two top corners meet the two bottom corners. Seal the fold with your finger, then unfold it. The new crease you've made should cross over the X, creating a pattern that looks like an asterisk or star.
  4. Pinch in the sides. Center the paper on the table so that the bottom edge is facing you. Push in the sides along the folds, so that the square collapses into a triangle shape with two sides.
    • To make the two sides fold inwards on themselves more easily, re-fold the horizontal crease you made in the previous step, but in the opposite direction.
  5. Fold one triangle corner upward. Place the triangle on the table so that the long edge is facing you. The long edge of the triangle divides into four points, two on each side. Take the top layer corner on the right side and fold it up. The tip of the corner should touch the tip of the triangle. Crease the fold with your finger.
  6. Fold the opposite triangle corner upward. Take the top layer corner on the left side of the triangle. Fold it up so that the tip of the corner touches the tip of the triangle. Crease the fold with your finger. The paper should now look like a triangle with a diamond in the middle.
  7. Fold the right corner of the diamond inward. With the base of the triangle facing you, grab the right corner of the diamond. Fold it so the right edge of the diamond lines up with the center line. Crease the fold with your finger.
  8. Fold the left corner of the diamond inward. With the base of the triangle facing you, grab the left corner of the diamond, and fold it inward so that the left edge lines up with the center line. Crease the fold with your finger.
  9. Create the frog's legs. Hold the paper so that the base of the triangle is facing you. The point of the triangle, under the diamond layer, is divided into two sides. Fold the right one out, toward the right side of the triangle, so that its edge lines up with the right edge of the diamond. Crease it. Fold the left one out, toward the left side of the triangle, so that its edge lines up with the left edge of the diamond. Crease it.
  10. Flip the paper over. Rest it on the table so that the bottom of the triangle is facing you. The frog is starting to take shape! The front legs are in position. Now it's time to refine the shape of the top.
  11. Fold in the bottom corners. Take the right bottom corner and fold it in, so that the edge of the triangle becomes the center line. Crease it. Now fold in the left bottom corner in the same way, so that the edge of the triangle runs down the center, then crease it. You've now created an oblong diamond shape.
  12. Fold out the inner edges. Fold the right half of the diamond outward, so that its inner edge lines up with its outer edge. Crease the fold. Fold the left half of the diamond outward in the same way, so that the inner edge lines up with the outer edge, and crease it. These newly folded triangles will become the frog’s back legs.
  13. Fold the frog in half. Position the frog so that the long back legs are facing you, and fold it in half, near where the body is narrowest. Crease the fold.
  14. Fold the frog's back legs in half. Keep the frog folded in half, with the back legs facing you, and turn it over. Fold the legs upward, so that the horizontal piece of paper that stretches between the legs line's up with the frog's bottom. Crease the fold.
  15. Make your frog jump. Set the frog down on its back legs. Press and release the center folds to make it jump. Have fun! These frogs can't be dangerous.

Tips

  • The smaller the frog, the farther it jumps.
  • Crease your corners well. Your frog will "jump" better.
  • Thin paper will work better. Thick paper like construction paper is hard to fold and the frog will jump poorly.
  • Try it with lined paper the 1st time you do it (to make the folds more regular), then use different paper to copy what you've done!
  • Great for little kid parties/ sleepovers!
  • This could be a good activity for Leap Day.
  • If your frog doesn't hop make its head point up.

Warnings

  • Scissors can be dangerous. Get the help of an adult if you are a child under 8.

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