Instructions to Printable Origami Animals

Beginner and intermediate origami enthusiasts will find instructions to printable origami animals a great way to learn new figures without having to look them up in a book.

Origami instructions can be difficult for the novice to understand. Trying to hold open a book or scroll through a website can make paper folding seem impossible. Instructions usually incorporate both written steps and diagrammed images, which are either photos or illustrations.

To understand how to make an origami monkey or another animal, you should have a basic understanding of common symbols used in origami folding diagrams:

• Dashed lines indicate a valley fold, which creates a “v” shape in the center.
• Dashed and dotted lines represent a mountain fold, an upside down “v”—the opposite of a valley fold.
• Arrows show how the direction of a fold, such as behind to make a mountain fold. Several types of arrows are used in origami, each indicating a different type/direction of fold.

Review the origami folding symbols before printing any instructions, so you are not confused when you begin your project later. If you are unfamiliar with the folding symbols, use origami printables that include clearly written instructions along with the diagram. Fundamental comprehension of origami folding instructions is important before beginning any origami project.

Printing instructions for origami animal figures is a good way to learn the basics without a book or sitting at the computer desk. Most Internet printables use PDF files for their instructions, which can be read by free downloadable programs like Adobe Reader.

Origami for kids can be hard to teach when you have never folded a paper airplane before, let alone an origami pegasus. Then again, if you are advanced enough to create geometric designs involving multiple smaller designs, you may not remember how to break down the instructions for children. Regardless of the situation, you can find printable animal instructions for kids online at:

• Tammy Yee’s Origami Page: Origami projects on this site often relate to a popular children’s storybook. Scroll down to the bottom to find the “nature” section of the print and fold origami category. Each project includes written instructions, diagrams and a printable colored paper that forms the origami animal.
• Activity Village’s Origami for Kids: Find animals beyond the basics here, from koalas to penguins to the Loch Ness monster. Select the animal and then their instructions to reach a printable PDF instruction page.
• Kai-lan’s Easy Origami Friends: Fans of the Nick Jr. television show Ni Hao, Kai-lan will get a kick out of making Kai-lan’s panda, tiger and grasshopper origami friends. Simply click the “print” button below the animal and everything you need, including the paper squares, are printed.

Adults, from the novice to the expert, can also find printable origami animals online. Instructions for adults are usually shorter. They may only involve diagrams, with the assumption that an advanced folder knows the basics and can interpret symbols without a reminder.

Get instructions to printable online origami animals for intermediate to advanced folders at these websites:

• Origami-Fun’s Origami Animals: Downloadable PDFs diagrams of each animal are available on their instruction pages. Choose from animals like the puffy bunny, ladybug and horse. These are perfect for kids who have advanced beyond the simple designs or for beginner adults.
• Waterford Press: Select from over 20 different downloadable and printable animal origami instructions on the Waterford Press’ games page. Unfortunately, the instructions are only diagrams, without any written explanations. Intermediate to advanced folders will find the most success attempting to make the animals, which include a kangaroo, dinosaur, sea otter and raven.

Adults who have access to the Internet can also search for a particular animal using search engines and the term “printable origami instructions” or “download origami instructions” along with the type of animal they want to fold.

Both kids and adults will keep busy with instructions to printable origami animals. Novice and experts alike can find plenty of figure choices from the animal kingdom on the Internet.

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