Wait until spring comes and, putting on rubber boots, run through the melting snow. Better yet, go launch boats into the nearest stream. This is what our parents and our grandparents did. And the technology for their manufacture has been familiar to everyone for a long time. In our article we will introduce readers to the technique of assembling a paper boat. And, if you like this activity, you can make a whole fleet.
This article presents 10 ways to make a paper boat with your own hands with step-by-step unique photographs and videos.
Boats made of paper will appeal to all children. This is an old game, but despite this, it has not lost its relevance today. Probably everyone was fond of making them in childhood, attracting friends and parents to this activity. And then they ran to throw it into the nearest stream - you probably still remember these feelings. Make your little one happy by making a whole paper flotilla with him. You'll see, this will make him happy!
How to make a paper boat with your own hands
There are probably no parents who are not familiar with the technology of making boats. But perhaps it has faded a little from your memory. Now that you have a preschool or primary school-aged child, it's time to brush up on this activity. Make this wonderful spring craft with your child.
A boat made of paper is an excellent craft. This activity will help develop fine motor skills and is an excellent exercise in spatial thinking.
Among other things, you will receive an entertaining toy. And the baby will be able to play, inviting friends and relatives with him. There are a lot of game options, for example you can arrange a race or an expedition. Or you can give it to your grandfather or father as a gift.
They can be made from colored paper, and can also be painted or painted. You can select a whole crew for the ship using small soldiers. If the weather outside is not very good, you can play by letting them swim in the bathtub. And at the dacha you can use a basin for this. In a word, this is an extremely exciting activity.
- By using single-sided colored paper, you will get a unique toy, since the boat will be partially painted in a certain color.
- A sailboat can be made using a regular toothpick, and a sail can be made from fabric, colored cardboard, foil, leaves, colored napkins and much more.
- This toy can be made using office paper. And so that the boat does not get too wet while floating, it can be made from a coated magazine sheet.
- Dipping the toy into melted wax or paraffin will make it waterproof.
- Using a white sheet, you can show your imagination - decorate and paint it in any color.
A simple boat made using origami technique
There are many options for folding a paper boat. But among them there is one that is probably familiar to many. This is the pattern our parents used, so we need to introduce it to our children as well. A distinctive feature of such a boat is its ability to float on the water, and the duration of the voyage largely depends on the density of the material used. The step-by-step creation of such a boat using the origami technique is shown in this master class.
To make it, any rectangular sheet will be enough.
First, fold it in half, and mark the middle on the side with the fold.
Now, focusing on this mark, we bend the sides in the form of triangles.
The parts protruding from the bottom must be bent upward. First we do this on one side.
Turning the workpiece over, make the same upward fold.
There are corners on the sides that need to be tucked in. First, we bend the corner located on top, bringing it behind the main part of our craft.
Now on the other side (bottom corner) you need to do the same.
By repeating the actions on both sides of the triangle, we received such a blank for the future boat.
At this stage, our craft is similar to a hat, which is made according to the same pattern.
It needs to be shaped into a square.
Fold the bottom corner of the top layer of the square up.
We turn the workpiece over and make the same fold of the corner upward.
Again, our workpiece needs to be straightened.
And fold it into a square.
Now we carefully begin to pull the upper corners to the sides.
As a result, we get a boat that just needs some finishing touches.
You need to straighten its bottom and sides for greater stability. Our origami boat is ready for children's games.
DIY sailboat
The origami technique involves turning a simple sheet of paper into various crafts. As a rule, a square is used for this. This is exactly the form we need to take to create the next craft.
This master class presents step-by-step production of a ship with a sail.
Let's prepare for work:
- square sheet;
- glue stick.
Let's start making the boat by folding the square in half in two directions. This way we will outline the necessary folds for further work.
Now we bend the lower and upper parts of the workpiece towards the middle line.
The sides also need to be folded towards the middle.
To create the sides, you need to straighten the corners and give them a different shape. We begin to straighten the upper right corner, smooth out its lower fold diagonally.
Smooth the top of the workpiece. This is how we formed one of the corners.
In a similar way, straighten the lower right corner.
With the left side you need to do the same. This is how we formed the sides.
In order for our craft to look like a ship, you need to take it with your hands and pull the halves in different directions - the left one away from you, and the right one towards you. As a result, the workpiece should take the following form.
We turn the lower protruding corner to the right and place it horizontally.
The bow requires a little gluing, connecting the right and left sides together.
Our boat with a sail is ready!
Blue paper boat with sails
You can go sailing not only in reality, but also in your fantasies. This is especially true for children who easily immerse themselves in the game, imagining themselves as various heroes. If a child dreams of the sea and imagines himself as a sailor, then to support his fantasy one cannot do without a boat with white sails, made using the origami technique. In this master class we will show how to make it.
To create such a boat with sails, you only need a square sheet of colored single-sided paper, we used blue.
First, fold the square in half.
After this, we perform another transverse fold. As a result, our square turned out to be divided into 4 equal parts by folds.
Now we turn the workpiece over to the other side and fold it diagonally.
Then we fold the square along the other diagonal and turn it over to the front side.
Turn the workpiece over again with the white side up and bend 2 opposite corners towards the center.
Now we need to start shaping the sails. To do this, we begin to fold it inward on one side.
You need to fold it so that a vertical white triangle is formed on top.
We do the same with the other side. As a result, we see that 2 white sails have become noticeable.
But one of them needs to be reduced a little. To do this, bend the right sail down.
After this, we bend it upward, at the same time forming a small fold.
We tuck the resulting fold inward. Now our boat has white sails.
Its lower part needs to be folded to the reverse side.
From the front side our sailboat looks like this.
Our boat with white sails using the origami technique is ready.
DIY boat for beginners
A paper boat is an excellent solution if a boy is growing up in your family. Especially if he is interested in marine themes! This craft is very easy to create; you only need paper and 5-7 minutes of free time.
To make this boat you will need the following materials and tools:
- a square sheet of colored paper with a side of 15-20 cm;
- scissors.
Step 1: Make the first folds
Cut out a neat square from the sheet. If your sheet is initially square, you can skip this step.
Fold your square in half horizontally.
Expand. Now fold the bottom of the sheet towards the center line.
Also fold the top of the sheet towards the center line.
Fold the craft along the center line in the other direction. You should have an accordion-shaped figure with 4 longitudinal folds.
Step 2: Fold the corners. Open one side.
Fold the top left corner toward the center fold.
Also fold the right corner to the central fold, symmetrically to the left.
On the other side, also bend the corners to the middle line.
Step 3: Expand. Now fold the craft in half.
Open it up. You have a boat, but you still need to trim it.
To do this, fold the “bow” of the boat on one side towards the central fold. Press the folds well.
The “nose part” on the other side also wraps towards the center line. You should have a hexagon-shaped figure.
Bend the opposite corners of this hexagon symmetrically by approximately 0.5 cm.
Open the craft.
Fold the “side” part on one side towards the central fold. Repeat on the other side.
Press the corners inside the boat well on all four sides. Thanks to this, the lower part of the craft will look very neat.
Open it up. Align and straighten where required.
Your paper boat using the origami technique is ready!
Boat made using origami technique
How to make a boat like this? It's actually very easy! All you need is a square sheet of paper and 10-12 minutes of free time.
This cute origami is perfect for crafts with children of primary and secondary school age.
Materials and tools:
- square sheet 15-18 cm;
- scissors.
Cut a 4 square from a sheet of size A.
Fold in half horizontally.
Expand. Fold one half of the sheet to the center fold and open.
The other half of the sheet is also folded towards the center line.
Carefully iron the fold, then lift the paper and attach it to the next, third fold. Make a neat bend.
Place the craft vertically.
Fold the top right corner to a vertical fold.
Also fold the upper left corner towards the vertical fold.
Fold the left corner again. Gently press the fold with your fingers.
On the right side, also fold the corner forward one more time.
Change position. Fold the entire bottom edge towards the horizontal center line.
Change position again. Fold the lower right corner to the horizontal center line.
Fold down the entire top part in the origami area where you are currently working.
Turn over to the other side.
Using an accordion, fold the paper over the area to be worked twice. You should stop exactly on the center line of your square.
Place the workpiece in front of you so that all the formed bends are at the bottom on the right side.
Fold the upper left corner to the previously made vertical fold.
Also fold the upper right corner towards the vertical fold.
Fold the corner one more time on the top right side, and again on the top left side.
Change position. On the opposite side, fold the bottom corner to the middle line.
Fold the top side down towards the middle line as well.
Fold the entire top part down along the middle line.
Open one side.
Fold the corner symmetrically to the corner at the back of the craft. Return the paper to its place.
On the other side, also open one gateway. Fold the second corner symmetrically to the existing corner.
Close the paper. Open the craft in the middle.
DIY origami paper boat is ready!
A boat made of colored paper
This most popular summer-themed craft can be made not only using the origami technique. In this master class I will show you how to make such a bright sailboat from colored paper.
Necessary materials:
- colored half-cardboard in red, yellow and blue tones;
- skewer;
- glue;
- scissors;
- ruler;
- marker;
- pencil.
We create the frame of a sailboat. To do this, take blue half-cardboard and cut out two identical strips with dimensions of 18 x 2.5 cm. 
Using a ruler and pencil, divide each strip into three equal parts. We bend in those places.
Glue the two parts of the boat base together along the sides.
Next we will create a small part of the ship's deck. We use blue half-cardboard again.
Cut out a small rectangle. We measure 1.5 cm from the sides for gluing.
We bend along vertical lines and glue the part into the middle of the ship between the bases.
Now let's prepare a wooden skewer and two pieces of yellow paper of different lengths to create sails.
Create small holes in each rectangle. We insert a skewer through them.
Cut out a small square from a red sheet. Glue it to the deck. We make a small hole along the diameter of the wide part of the skewer. We insert it.
Now we cut out a beautiful flag from red paper that will flutter in the wind. Use a black marker to highlight the contour lines.
Glue the flag to the highest point of the sailboat.
Using a black marker, we draw in the portholes and other important details on the paper boat.
A wonderful paper boat is ready for sea voyages! On the deck you can place small toys of pirates, sailors and the captain of the ship.
How to make an applique - paper boat
Another craft option.
See how to make one like this here.
Original options for folding a ship - video tutorials
Ship with a sail using origami technique
How to make a boat out of paper
Original sailboat
Video lesson on folding a ship
Almost all patterns for assembling paper boats are not complicated. And with a little practice, you can make them without a diagram. Today there are a great variety of different options for assembling sailboats that a child of any age can master. To do this, you will need various training materials, which today are presented in the form of diagrams, instructions and videos.
This exciting activity will bring pleasure not only to kids, but also to adults. With the onset of spring, children quickly run outside to play, setting their paper fleet afloat. Made from simple materials, they become a simple and accessible game.
Read how to do it here.
Do you want to do something with your children, but don’t know what exactly? You and your child can figure out how to make a boat out of paper. This activity can develop logical thinking and hand motor skills. Thanks to origami classes, the child will be calmer and more focused. The process of creating a paper boat is completely simple and will delight any generation.
A paper boat can be made in many ways. Perhaps the easiest way is to find or draw a template with your own hands, cut it out of paper and glue it with regular glue, after coloring it first. The second method is to build a beautiful boat, working according to the principles of the old Japanese art, which is becoming increasingly in demand. Origami gives you the opportunity to create beautiful, different models with minimal financial costs.
So, how to make a paper boat - step by step description:
Take a square piece of paper, colored or white. Its corners will have to be bent towards each other, and then straightened, so that the fold areas that cross along the material stand out. Next, the leaf is bent 2 more times - vertically and horizontally to create 2 more lines, and after that, for the same purposes, bends must be made in all corners (that is, fold all the corners towards the central part of the leaf so that a square comes out, and then straighten everything out).
The main part of the work. First, the right and then the left half of the leaf is folded vertically into the central part. Then the lower part is bent in the same way from the upper half. The next step, which seems difficult for many novice origami fans, is pulling the corners outward on both sides.
That's it - the layout of your boat can be turned upside down. The created model is slowly bent diagonally. The corner from below must be raised and strengthened. Nice ship done. You can decorate the hull in one color scheme, the sail in another, and start playing.
First, take paper; it should be a square with straight sides. Next it is folded in half to form a triangle. This same triangle is then bent in half again, so that when bent, the sheet looks like four schematic but uniform geometric figures.
We bend one of the parts and bend one of the corners into the middle. Then you need to make an angle towards the middle, but so that it does not take up the entire volume. The fold is made from the open side to the center.
It is folded back and a hat is created. A standard yacht has been created from paper. But this craft cannot withstand strong exposure to water. You can't even run it down the stream.
Many people wonder how to make a paper steamer. This craft is considered a standard origami figure. It's actually quite easy to make a steamboat, but you need to follow the instructions.
The process of how to make a paper steamer:
To make it look even better, you can depict portholes, and also paint certain places. Such a paper boat can be a wonderful applique for any postcard created by your child. To quickly and easily make a paper steamer, a folding pattern is a must.
Attention, TODAY only!
The origami boat is an origami model that children from eight years old can handle. Once the principle of operation is understood, creating such an origami paper boat will not cause difficulties. An origami boat can be folded either from double-sided paper or from paper equally colored on both sides. Yes, even from an ordinary white sheet.
Origami boat - a stable model. This boat floats well on the water and does not capsize. You can let it go in a basin at home or in a spring stream. The main thing is to take thick and as water-repellent paper as possible. Then your paper boat will not get wet longer.
We provide a general diagram of folding an origami paper boat and a step-by-step master class with photographs. Use what is more convenient and understandable for you.
Origami boat folding diagram. Origami boats for children from 8 years old
Step-by-step folding of an origami boat. Origami boats for children from 8 years old
Mark the folding lines as shown. Fold the paper along the marked lines. Repeat the operation on the other side. 
Uncover the figurine. 
Lift up the triangles. 
Bend back the small triangle 
Uncover the figurine.
Hello, friends!
Those who have always had a passion for the sea and water transport will get a lot of pleasure from our today's craft. It seems that our paper boat will also appeal to representatives of the older generation, who in their youth entertained themselves by launching boats in rivers and lakes.
Making such a paper unit will not be difficult at all, and to make it even easier, we, as usual, will clearly examine the process in detail.
So, to make a paper boat we will need:
- a sheet of square-cut colored paper (we use a size of 20x20 cm);
- office glue.
First of all, we bend our workpiece diagonally, from corner to corner, into two equal parts. Then we turn the sheet 90 degrees and do the same, forming a kind of cross-shaped bend. Having received the central point, we bend a corner to it, carefully smoothing it out:
Then we bend the sheet in half, like this:
Following this, we bend the right side along the middle line of the bend:
We separate the resulting fragment, forming a pocket with our hands, as shown in the figure:
Now we smooth it out as follows:
At the next stage, we begin to work with this resulting square. We bend its upper part, forming a small oblong triangle diagonally:
We do the same with the second side. Thanks to these bends, it will be very easy to make a convex triangle like this:
We smooth out the folds well and bend this section of paper back. Then we bend a small corner of the vertex of the triangle and repeat the previous manipulation. This will be the pipe of our boat.
We tilt this pipe to one side and cover it, folding the left side in the form of another triangle:
Now we turn it back, tilt the pipe to the left and do the same on the right side. Carefully mark the bends and open the sheet back.
Along the lines of the folds we now bend the lower triangles in this way:
Now we pry the central corner with the thumb of our right hand and lift the elements of our structure, folding it:
Smooth it out well. For those who didn’t succeed, we should end up with the following construction:
We smooth the resulting workpiece over the surface of the table and fold its lower part, thus obtaining the side of our paper boat:
Now we turn the structure over, and along the line of the resulting fold we bend the side in the other direction.
Now, perhaps, the most difficult trick: we unfold the workpiece and bend the sides along the intended bend line, getting the following picture:
Carefully smooth out the resulting lines and folds. We get something very similar to the desired boat:
But the work is not finished yet. Let's continue. We bend the rear edge, about 1.5-2 cm, inward:
Now we make another bend on top:
On the other side we repeat the same thing. As a result, we get the rear sides of our boat made of paper, which we need to glue together to get a closed contour.
It’s easy to make a toy boat from a simple sheet of paper and set it sailing along the stream and across the watery expanses of the bathtub. You just need to remember simple instructions on how to make a boat out of paper, how to fold it to get a structure that is stable on the water. This is a simple, but very exciting task.
Parents can make paper toys for small children; older children can learn this simple art themselves. A series of video tutorials offers master classes, after watching which you will be able to beautifully build entire flotillas of paper boats yourself. They will get wet over time, but you will have time to make new ones.
The following steps are discussed in detail in the video tutorial:
- fold the A4 sheet in half, then in half again;
- fold the corners of the sheet towards the center;
- We bend one of the remaining strips up and bend the corners, and do the same on the other side.
Next, open the resulting square and fold it along the other axis. We bend the corners towards the center, but not all the way. If the points to which the bend is made are placed at different heights, the bow and stern of the boat will turn out to be of different heights, which will look interesting. Next, the square is folded again along a different diagonal. All that remains is to open the structure by pulling the opposite ends with your fingers and slightly straighten the resulting boat.
It can be placed on the table, it will be stable. He might as well be able to float on the water. Now you know how to make a paper boat.
Video lesson:
To make a boat out of paper with your own hands, you need:
- take a sheet of paper measuring 20 x 20 cm and fold it diagonally, then along the other diagonal and unfold it;
- bend one of the corners of the sheet to the center;
- Fold the sheet diagonally several times.
Next, several small triangles are bent, and a series of bends are made, during which the boat pipe and its other elements are formed. To do everything correctly, you must strictly follow the instructions in the video tutorial. The stern of the boat is folded, and its halves are fixed with glue. This is the only place where the structure is not held in place by bending the paper, but requires the use of glue.
The shape of the boat resembles a modern pleasure boat, has a swift appearance and is very stable both on a hard table surface and on the surface of the water.
Video lesson:
The proposed step-by-step instructions in the video tell you how to make a neat pleasure boat with swift outlines out of paper. On sheet A4, by folding two diagonals, a regular square with diagonal bends is marked.
The strip of paper remaining after forming the square is folded in half, and the corners are folded on it. The marked square is also folded in half, and its sides are tucked inward. Instead of a rectangle, you get a triangle. The entire structure is bent in half, the fold lines are carefully ironed.
What follows is a whole series of sheet folds, which can be easily reproduced by watching the video tutorial. Eventually the paper structure turns out to form a neat boat with a flat bottom that is very stable both on water and on hard surfaces.
Video lesson:
Making a paper ship in origami style is very easy. It is enough to take a square sheet of paper and bend it diagonally. Then one of the sides of the resulting triangle is bent as shown in detail in the video. The fold lines are ironed well. Then the square unfolds and all fold lines are folded in the opposite direction.
Actually, this is where the making of the boat ends. It has no bottom, only beautiful sides in the shape of the bow of a boat. The free edge of the paper triangle represents a sail unfurled over the boat. Such a sailing boat, of course, will not float, but if its back edges are glued together, it can become a beautiful silhouette that can be placed on a table or hung on a string.
For origami, it is not functionality that is important, but figurative similarity.
Video lesson:
From a sheet of A4 formant paper you can make a small, roomy boat that is quite capable of floating on water and even transporting any cargo. A square sheet of paper obtained from A4 format is folded into a rectangle, then each of the halves is folded several times, while the corners are bent, which form the profile of the paper boat.
The outlines of the bow and stern are formed by different folds, and in the end a punt with high sides is obtained. When children play on the water, such a boat can serve as a good vehicle. It does not get wet for a long time and does not disappoint young sailors.
Video lesson: