Make your own origami crane!

Begin with a square piece of paper - ideally one side coloured and the other plain. Place the coloured side face up on the
table. In all diagrams, the shaded part represents the coloured side.

1. Fold diagonally to form a 20. Now imagine this image

triangle. Be sure the points Crease along the line b- is what you would see if you
line up. Use your thumbnail c. were looking straight down,
to make all creases very at the top of a crane’s head.
sharp. The two points at the top of
Now unfold the paper the picture are the back of
Undo the three folds you just made (steps 6, the crane’s head, and its
2. Now fold the paper 7, and 8), and your paper will have the crease pointy beak is at the bottom.
diagonally in the opposite lines shown on the right. Open the upper layer of the
direction, forming a new beak at point a, and crease
triangle. it along line g-h so that the
tip of the beak touches the
9. Lift just the top layer of back of its head (ouch!)
the paper at point a.
21. Turn the figure over. Repeat step 20 on
Unfold the paper and turn Think of this as opening this side so that all four points touch.
it over so the white side is a crane’s beak. Open it
up. The dotted lines in the up and back to line b-c 22. Your paper should look like this image on
diagram are creases you where the beak would the right. Next another "book
have already made. hinge. Crease the line b- fold." Lift the top layer on the
c inside the “beak.” right (at point f), and fold it in
the direction of the arrow to
3. Fold the paper in half to the Press on points b and c the middle. Be sure to crease
right to form a tall rectangle. to reverse the folds along the fold.
lines a-b and a-c. The
trick is to get the paper to 23. Flip the entire figure
lie flat in the long over. Repeat the "book fold"
diamond shape shown (step 22) on this side.
on the right. At first it will seem impossible but
Unfold the paper. with some patience you will get the hang of it! 24. - 25. There are two
points, a and b, below the
4. Fold the paper in half, 10. - 13. Turn the paper over. Repeat Steps upper flap. Pull out each
bringing the bottom up to 6 to 9 on this side. When you have finished, one, in the direction of the
the top and form a wide your paper will look like arrows, as far as the dotted
rectangle. the diamond below with lines. Press down along the
two "legs" at the bottom. base (at points x and y) to
Unfold the rectangle, but make them stay in place.
don't flatten it out. Your 14. - 15. Taper the
paper will have the diamond at its legs by
creases shown by the folding the top layer of 26. Take the end of one of
dotted lines in the figure each side in the direction the points, and bend it
on the right. of the arrows along lines down to make the head
a-f and a-e so that they of the crane. Using
meet at the center line. your thumbnail, reverse
5. Bring all four corners of the paper together, the crease in the head,
one at a time. This will 16. - 17. Flip the paper and pinch it to form the
fold the paper into the over. Repeat steps 14 beak. The other point
flat square shown on and 15 on this side to becomes the tail.
the right. This square complete the tapering of
has an open end where the two legs. Open the body by
all four corners of the blowing into the hole
paper come together. It 18. The figure on the underneath the
also has two flaps on right has two skinny legs. crane, and then
the right and two flaps on the left. Lift the right upper flap gently pulling out
at point f and fold it over the wings.
6. Lift the upper right flap, and fold in the in the direction of the
direction of the arrow. Crease along line a-c. arrow - as if turning the
page of a book. This is Why not use a
7. Lift the upper left flap and fold in the called a "book fold." black and red
direction of the arrow. crayon or marker
Crease along the line
and give your
a-b. Flip the entire piece over.
origami crane the
8. Lift the paper at 19. Repeat this "book features of a
point d (in the upper fold" (step 18) on this Whooping Crane?
right diagram) and fold side. Be sure to fold over
down into the triangle only the upper flap.
b-a-c.

Made possible through the Wild Birds Unlimited Pathways To Nature® Conservation Fund.