Craft Some Cranes!
Fold colorful paper cranes using simple origami steps, decorate them, and learn about patience, symmetry, and cultural meaning through hands on crafting.
Step-by-step guide to craft some cranes
Step 1
Clear a flat workspace and lay out your paper and colouring materials.
Step 2
Place one colored square paper color-side down on the workspace.
Step 3
Fold the paper diagonally corner to corner to make a triangle crease then unfold; repeat for the other diagonal so you have X creases.
Step 4
Fold the paper in half top to bottom to make a + crease and then unfold.
Step 5
Collapse the paper into a preliminary square base by bringing the four corners together and pressing flat.
Step 6
With the open corner pointing toward you fold the right and left edges of the top layer to the center crease and press to form a kite shape.
Step 7
Fold the small top triangle flap down over those folds to make a crease then unfold that flap.
Step 8
Open the front bottom flap and lift it up into a petal fold to form a long diamond shape; press flat.
Step 9
Turn the paper over and repeat Steps 6 to 8 on the other side to complete the bird base.
Step 10
Fold one of the thin top points down to make the crane’s head and crease well.
Step 11
Gently pull the two large side flaps outward to create the wings and crease the wing bases so the crane holds its shape.
Step 12
Decorate your crane with colouring materials and stickers to make it bright and unique.
Step 13
Pause and say or write one sentence about patience symmetry or what the crane means in some cultures to practice thinking about its meaning.
Step 14
Share your finished crane on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use instead of colored square paper and stickers if I don’t have them?
If you don’t have a pre-cut colored square to 'Place one colored square paper color-side down', make a square by folding a regular sheet corner to edge and trimming the excess, and substitute stickers with markers, crayons, or cut scrap paper for decorating.
My paper won’t collapse into the preliminary square base or the petal fold keeps ripping—how can I fix that?
For a stubborn preliminary square base (Step 4) and a tricky petal fold (Steps 6–8), re-crease the X and + folds firmly with your fingernail, slowly bring all four corners together while guiding the paper inward, and lift the bottom flap gently into the petal fold on a flat surface to avoid ripping.
How can I adapt the folding steps for different age groups?
For toddlers, an adult can pre-fold through the bird base (Steps 1–8) so they can decorate and practice wings (Steps 9–11), elementary-aged kids can follow the full sequence with simple verbal prompts, and older kids can try smaller squares or multiple cranes and more detailed decorations after Step 11.
How can we extend or personalize the finished crane project?
After decorating your crane (Step 11) and writing a sentence about patience or the crane’s meaning (Step 12), personalize and extend the activity by folding cranes in different sizes and patterned paper, stringing a group into a garland or mobile, or creating a short story for each crane before sharing on DIY.org (Step 13).
Watch videos on how to craft some cranes
Origami Crane - Easy Step-by-Step Paper Crane Instructions
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Origami Crane - Easy Step-by-Step Paper Crane Instructions
How To Make a Paper Crane - Origami Crane Easy - Step by Step Tutorial
Create Your Own Origami Paper Crane - Easy Step-by-Step Tutorial!
The Easiest Way to Make a Paper Crane | Beginner Origami Tutorial
Facts about origami and paper folding
⏳ Origami builds patience and fine motor skills—beginners may take 10–20 minutes per crane, while practiced folders can finish one in a few minutes.
🎯 Folding a crane uses mirror-image folds, making it a great way to learn about symmetry and precision.
🎐 Senbazuru is the tradition of folding 1,000 paper cranes to make a wish or show hope—strings of them are often displayed at shrines and memorials.
🕊️ The paper crane became a global symbol of peace after the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young Hiroshima survivor.
🌈 Traditional origami paper (kami) used to be colored only on one side; now it comes in hundreds of patterns, textures, and sizes perfect for decorating cranes.
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