Kells, my eight year old, loves Origami.  I remember showing him how to fold a simple origami cat when he was just on the verge of becoming a reader.  I gave him an origami book with good pictures, and he spent hours following diagrams and learning how to make all kinds of amazing things, quickly surpassing my own knowledge of the craft.  Learning origami has been foundational in his love for traditional reading, following diagrams and directions, visualizing mathematical ideas, and making beautiful things for fun and to share.  Sign me up for more crafts where a kid can go for years building skills on their own, just using a well-written book and a stack of paper!  Today, Kells would love to share his love for Origami with you!

5 Best Origami Books for Beginners.  Below are some amazon links to Kells’ favorite books.  I loved hearing him tell me why each one of these are in his top 5.  (Trust me, we own an impressive collection of origami books and have checked out dozens more from our awesome library system.  This boy knows his stuff!!!  He won’t steer you wrong if you are looking for Origami books that are clear, with good pictures and diagrams, and especially fun projects.)  He has also included a link to some of his favorite origami papers.  (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Origami Treasure Chest is a great beginner’s book with lots of fun, imaginative ideas.  Kells also likes it because it includes actual photos to show how to make the projects.

Origami Games is another great introductory book on Origami, but it takes it to another level because every project can also be used for playing games.  Kells said a great thing about this book is that it uses regular-sized copy paper, so you don’t have to have any perfect squares to begin.

Origami Finger Puppets has designs for characters from fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, and The Country Mouse and The City Mouse. These are simple, cute designs that will inspire lots of storytelling and creative play.  It comes with assorted colorful papers, so it makes a great gift book.

Origami in Action is Kells’ all-time favorite Origami book.  He loves it because it every finished project can move (like a strumming guitarist, clams that open and close, birds that flap, etc.).  The projects here range from easy to hard, so it is a great book to increase your skill level.

Kells loves Complete Origami because it has lots of projects to make, but it also has a wealth of information about Origami in general.  Facts, tips, history, definitions–everything you need to understand  more about the art of paper folding.

We hope you get as much joy out of creative play from these books as we have!  And we hope you have hours of fun, learning together, and living a more inspired life.