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Paper folding: boat and fan

Learn neat folds, then make a paper boat and a pleated fan using only a sheet of paper.

Get the whole book: Drawing and craft for classes 3 to 5 (5 lessons, free to print)

Let us begin

The big idea

A flat sheet of paper can become a boat, a fan or a hat. All it takes is careful folding. Let us learn the folds and make two things you can use.

A good fold starts with a good crease. Match the edges or corners exactly, then press down with your thumb and slide it along the fold.

A valley fold bends the paper towards you, like the inside of a book. A mountain fold bends it away from you, like a roof.

A square sheet is the easiest to start with. To make a square from a rectangle, fold one corner over to the opposite side and cut off the extra strip.

Work slowly. If a fold is not neat, open the paper and fold it again. A smooth crease makes a better model.

Valley fold and mountain foldTwo small drawings. One shows a valley fold with the paper dipping down in the middle, and one shows a mountain fold with the paper rising up in the middle. Valley fold Mountain fold Fold towards you Fold away from you
A valley fold dips down. A mountain fold points up.

Worked examples

See how it works

  1. A paper boat

    Fold a rectangle in half. Fold the top corners down to the middle to make a roof shape. Fold the bottom strips up on both sides. Open the middle and press flat into a diamond. Fold the bottom corners up, then open again to make the boat.

  2. A pleated fan

    Fold a long strip of paper back and forth like a zigzag, with each fold about 2 cm wide. Pinch the paper at one end and fan out the other end.

  3. A simple hat

    Fold a big sheet of paper in half. Fold the two top corners down to the middle. Fold the bottom strips up on each side. It becomes a hat to wear.

Try it at home

Make a paper boat

You will need

  • One sheet of old newspaper or plain paper
  • A bowl of water (optional)

What to do

  1. Fold the sheet in half from top to bottom, then open it and fold it in half again to make a crease down the middle.
  2. Fold the top two corners down to the centre line so the paper looks like a house with a roof.
  3. Fold the strip at the bottom up in front, then turn the paper over and fold the other strip up.
  4. Open the middle and flatten into a diamond. Fold the bottom corners up, then open again.
  5. Pull the two top tips apart gently to open the boat. Float it in a bowl of water.

Ask a grown-up: An adult can help with the harder folds and watch near water.

Practice sheet

Check what you learned

Write your answers in a notebook, or print this sheet and write on it. When you finish, mark your work with the answer key.

Practice sheet: Paper folding: boat and fan (Classes 3-5, Drawing and craft)

  1. What is a crease?
  2. Which fold bends the paper towards you?
  3. Which fold bends the paper away from you?
  4. Which shape of paper is easiest to start with?
  5. What can you do if a fold is not neat?
  6. What do we fold paper into to make a fan?
  7. Name two things you can make by folding paper.
  8. Why should you press the crease with your thumb?
  9. Why should an adult help when you float your boat in water?
  10. You fold a strip back and forth 8 times. How many folds is that?

Answer key

Answers: Paper folding: boat and fan

Do the practice sheet first, then check here. If an answer is different from yours, read the lesson again and try once more.

  1. The sharp line on the paper where it is folded.
  2. A valley fold.
  3. A mountain fold.
  4. A square.
  5. Open it and fold it again.
  6. A zigzag (pleats).
  7. Sample answers: a boat, a hat, a fan.
  8. To make the fold flat and neat.
  9. To keep you safe near water.
  10. 8 folds.

What next

Keep learning

Get the whole book

All 5 drawing and craft lessons for classes 3 to 5 on one page, with every practice sheet and answer key, ready to print.

Drawing and craft for classes 3 to 5

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