I haven't shared my origami lately, however this semester I have been running a lunch club for kids to create origami. Recently I brought in a new book and new packs of solid papers for them to try. The club has very different levels of origami creators. Some work on their own and others need help with every step. I handed my origami expert in the club Action Origami: Paper Toys that Fly, Hop, Twirl, Shake and Surprise! by Isamu Sasagawa. It is recommended for ages 9 and up. I would say it is more of an intermediate origami book and not great for beginners.
About the Book:
Quirky, funny, and easy origami action models that move, fly, delight, and surprise!Get ready to fold, play, and laugh! Every page of Action Origami introduces you to delightfully quirky paper creations that go far beyond static shapes. These unique origami models hop, spin, chomp, blink, and wiggle—bringing hours of hands-on fun for kids, families, crafters, and anyone who loves a little paper magic.
Whether you're new to folding or a seasoned paper artist, you'll love how easy it is to follow along. Each project comes with step-by-step instructions and online video tutorials, so you're never stuck for long.
Discover over 70 unconventional origami models in five exciting categories:
- Funny Faces & Silly Poses — Laugh-out-loud designs like the waggling Cheeky Moves, the Blinking Eyes, and an origami Sit-Up Enthusiast that just won't quit
- Amazing Magic Tricks — Surprise and delight with clever creations like Momotaro's Peach (with hidden Peach Boy!) and the springy Snake-in-the-Box
- Spooky & Otherworldly Creatures — Fold a Kappa Eating a Fish, create a creepy Snake Cryptid, and spook your friends with unexpected wiggles and chomps
- Awesome Articulated Toys — Make interactive models like a working Power Shovel Arm, a flying Catapult, and a spinning Propeller that twirls like a maple seed
- Cute Chibi Animals — Fold adorable animated creatures like the Monkey Playing Cymbals, Headstand Penguin, and a Howling Dog ready to serenade the moon
Action Origami brings your folds to life! These action-packed models are perfect for family fun, classroom projects, rainy day activities, or craft night with friends.
From Me:
This book has new and fresh origami projects. Each has a movement it can do. Some are pretty simple, and others are more difficult. I gave this book to one of my origami students who is an origami pro to see what she could do with it. She always came to the lunch club and did her own thing. I often gave her some of my more advanced books to try. She made the cheerleader, and I took a video of her demonstrating the movement!
I tried some on my own. I love this shooting star. It is easy to fold and so fun to make "shoot" and twirl.
I also made the penguin that can do a headstand. He is not my best work but is cute. I found the instructions pretty easy however the instructions for some of the bases were not the easiest I have seen. There were many times I have done them with more folds to make it a little easier.
One of my favorites was this elephant head. He is supposed to open his mouth but mine didn't work very well. I liked how he came out though.
This book has a huge variety of projects as well as difficulty levels. I like that it offers some fun projects that I haven't seen other places. The instructions are easy to follow and the pictures help make it easier.
The other great products that I get to review are some origami papers. I have four packs of 200 sheets of 6-inch papers. Each is a bright colored pack in Bright Orange, Forest Green, Royal Blue, and Ruby Red. All of my projects in this review were made with these papers. The one from student above was not.
About the Paper:
Each sheet is solid orange paper with a slightly lighter shade on the back to allow your folds to have dimension. Two booklets include tested folding instructions for 12 projects including:
- Mother and Baby Duck
- Square Bud
- Crane
- Huskey Pup
- Kimono
- Butterfly
Note: Each color contains different instructions for projects!
From Me:
When I brought this paper in, I let the kids choose the color they wanted for the projects. Our first project with it was origami seahorses. I used the instructions that game with the Royal Blue paper. The kids got creative and decorated or labeled theirs. The green one was made by a Boston Celtics fan. The red one got tattoos. I also made the star box from the instructions with the Royal Blue paper as a second project to start that day. We didn't get to it. Here are similar instructions.
We made origami dolphins on a different day. We used this tutorial on YouTube.
The dolphins show the lighter side of the paper with the little stripe on its bottom. Overall, this paper is high quality and easy to use. I love having some solid colors to use for different projects as the prints sometimes make it hard for the students to follow along with the folds!
I love teaching kids origami. It is a fun skill where I can mix in some math. It is also a great way for kids to relax and relieve some stress. I have most of my origami books at school with a large box of various origami paper (almost all I have reviewed here). I tell them they are welcome to it any time plus I assign my geometry class an origami project every year. I also sometimes incorporate origami into the lessons. It is a fun hands-on way to learn. Check out our other origami projects, products and reviews!
