to make a paper boat instructions

EXPLORE Coupons Tech Help Pro Random Article About Us Quizzes Contribute Train Your Brain Game Improve Your English Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
HELP US Support wikiHow Community Dashboard Write an Article Request a New Article More Ideas...
EDIT Edit this Article
PRO Courses New Tech Help Pro New Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Coupons Quizzes Upgrade Sign In
Browse Articles
Quizzes New
Train Your Brain New
Improve Your English New
Support wikiHow
About wikiHow
Easy Ways to Help
Approve Questions
Fix Spelling
More Things to Try...
H&M Coupons
Hotwire Promo Codes
StubHub Discount Codes
Ashley Furniture Coupons
Blue Nile Promo Codes
NordVPN Coupons
Samsung Promo Codes
Chewy Promo Codes
Ulta Coupons
Vistaprint Promo Codes
Shutterfly Promo Codes
DoorDash Promo Codes
Office Depot Coupons
adidas Promo Codes
Home Depot Coupons
DSW Coupons
Bed Bath and Beyond Coupons
Lowe's Coupons
Surfshark Coupons
Nordstrom Coupons
Walmart Promo Codes
Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
Fanatics Coupons
Edible Arrangements Coupons
eBay Coupons
Log in / Sign up
Hobbies and Crafts
Paper Craft

How to Make a Paper Boat

Last Updated: November 4, 2022 References Tested

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. The wikiHow Video Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 3,871,317 times. Learn more...

Making an origami paper boat is a great activity that’s easy to finish and doesn’t require a lot of materials. The beauty of making a paper boat is that you only need one piece of printer paper to complete the task! By folding the paper with sharp creases and shaping it carefully, you can make a great-looking origami boat in minutes. We'll walk you through folding your own paper boat with our complete step-by-step instructions.

Creating the Initial Folds

Tip : When you go to fold the second side, use the first fold as a reference point.

The flaps closest to you should be folded in front of the back flaps, not over them. If you fold over the back flaps, you won’t be able to fold the back flaps themselves.

Making the Final Folds

Tip : Waterproof your boat! Use a waxed paper from an art store to make your boat last longer, or color one side of the paper completely with a crayon. You can also try to make your boat out of aluminum foil.

Community Q&A

Video . By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube.

Make sure you don't have any holes, as one little hole can turn into a huge rip. This could be good in a procedural text. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

About This Article

If you want to make a paper boat, fold a piece of paper in half from top to bottom. Then, fold it again from side to side and unfold so you have a crease in the center. Fold the top right corner down towards the center. Next, flip the paper over and fold the other corner down on the other side. Fold each of the bottom edges of the paper up and outwards to make a paper hat shape. Then, open the hat and flatten it horizontally to create a diamond. Fold the bottom edge of the diamond upwards towards the top. Then, turn the paper over and repeat on the other side. Pull the paper apart again and smooth it out to create a boat shape. Did this summary help you? Yes No

Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Emily Rehak

Jul 9, 2016

Did this article help you?

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Get all the best how-tos!

How to Make PAPER BOAT

Introduction: How to Make PAPER BOAT

How to MAKE A PAPER BOAT as a professional with clear ORIGAMI instructions. ENJOY!

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR MORE DETAILS

Step 1: Use Rectangle Paper

Any size as you need

Step 2: Fold the Rectangle Sheet of Paper in Half Along Its Short Side

Step 3: Fold It in Half From Bottom to Top Along Its Long Side

Fold it in half from bottom to top along its long side

Flip the paper so that the fold opens toward you

Step 4: Fold Down the Top Corners

fold down the top corners while leaving of space at the bottom. Grab the two top corners, and fold down so that they line up with the centre crease.

Step 5: Fold the Bottom of the Paper Up Against Both Sides

Step 6: Fold the Bottom Corners In

Step 7: Make the Triangle Into a Square

Pick up the triangle, then use your fingers to open up the bottom of the triangle. It should naturally start to pop into a square shape

Step 8: Fold Up the Bottom Flaps

Arrange your paper so that the bottom points of the diamond can fold upward.

Step 9: Fold Up the Bottom Flaps Other Side

Flip the paper over, and do the same thing to the other side

Step 10: Make the Triangle Into a Square Again

Just like last time, open up the bottom of your new triangle with your fingers. The bottom corners will line up to become the bottom point of a square

Step 11: Pull Out the Triangles on the Side of the Square

Start at the top of the diamond

Step 12: Final

Now you have your paper boat

Be the First to Share

Did you make this project? Share it with us!

Recommendations

Game Design: Student Design Challenge

Make it Glow Contest

Love to cook, bake, craft, create?

One Little Project

Cook, bake, craft, create, one little project at a time!

How to Make a Paper Boat

Learning how to make a paper boat is SO FUN and really easy! With just five minutes and a sheet of regular printer paper , you can fold a cute little origami boat that actually floats on water.

This is such a classic craft project that’s quick and simple, and it’s a really fun introduction to origami ! Follow the step-by-step tutorial below, or watch the quick video to learn how to make a paper boat. You’ll be an expert in no time!

1 piece Letter sized printer paper (8-1/2 by 11 inches size; any colour)

Check Out The Video Tutorial:

Instructions:, step 1: find what you need.

Step 2: Make the first folds

Step 3: Continue folding

Step 4: Make the final folds and adjustments

Do paper boats float in water?

Yes! These boats will float in water. But since they’re made out of paper, they can really only go in the water once. The boats should last in water for at least 10 minutes before they get waterlogged. Once they’re soaked with water, it will be hard to keep them upright, and they might even sink.

If you want them to last longer in the water, add a layer of tape to the bottom of your boat to make it waterproof.

What kind of paper do you need to make a paper boat?

I find it easiest to use regular printer paper or construction paper , since most people have those at home already. Printer paper comes in all sorts of fun colours, or you can colour or draw on white paper to add colour to your boat.

You can also use origami paper if you have it. You just have to cut it to make sure the proportions are right, since most origami paper is square.

Want your boat to last longer in the water? Make a waterproof boat out of waxed paper or aluminum foil!

Can you put things in paper boats?

Sort of. If you’re planning to put your boats in water, whatever you put into the boats has to be really light, otherwise the boats will tip over. You could cut out paper people to put in your boats… or possibly teeny tiny toys. But I can’t promise that the boats will stay upright in the water with toys in them.

If you’re playing with the boats on the floor (and not in the water), you can load them up with all sorts of fun, small toys. Try Lego figures, small Hatchimals , or even Polly Pockets!

Where can I play with these paper boats?

You can play with paper boats in the bath, in the sink, or even outside in a puddle. Or you can keep them dry and play with them on the floor so they last longer. A blue towel or blanket makes a great ocean!

Green origami boat with colourful boats in the background

How can I customize my origami boat?

Use brightly coloured paper, and decorate them with markers, pencil crayons, and stickers. Don’t forget to give your boat a name when you’re done!

Colourful origami paper boats on a blue surface

We hope you’ll have a great time learning how to make a paper boat, because these boats are SO FUN and they’re really simple to make! All you need is one piece of regular sized printer paper and in 5 minutes you can fold an awesome boat that actually floats in water!

This is such a fun kids craft and a great introduction to origami for kids. Such a fun activity for summer or any time!

When my kids got home from school, they saw all my paper boats on the office floor (because that’s where all my best crafting is done!), and they got so excited to make them! My 5 year old is a little too young to make the folds, so I just gave him one of my paper boats. But my 7 and 9 year olds folded theirs all by themselves and they looked awesome!

Then my 3 kids gathered all the sofa cushions and made a giant fort for their paper boats. Because why not make an ocean fort for your paper boats!? They loaded their boats with tiny little toys and I heard all sorts of playing with “LOOK THERE’S LAND OVER THERE!” the whole time I was making dinner.

This post was originally published on January 16, 2020.

Here’s even more fun craft ideas:

Easy Wine Cork Sail Boats

How to Make a Paper Hat

How to Make a Paper Pinwheel

Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!

Where to buy:

You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon , or wherever books are sold:

More from One Little Project

About Debbie Chapman , the Author of this Post

I'm Debbie Chapman, founder of One Little Project and author of the book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids . I love creating fun and easy crafts and cooking up delicious recipes for my husband and 3 kids.

Join the e-club for the latest

Low-Mess Crafts for Kids

72 Projects to Create Your Own Magical Worlds

Reader Interactions

Let us know what you think: cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

January 20, 2020 at 4:59 pm

I haven’t done origami since elementary school; this would be so fun to show to my 3 year old! Also, I have to tell you, I am so impressed by your photography skills and the clear, clean way you showcase your tutorials and projects. I’m a photographer as well as a craft blogger too, and I think you are doing a seriously fantastic job.

January 21, 2020 at 4:33 pm

Thanks Laura! That’s such a nice comment. Sometimes it feels like I’m working in a void here, so I really appreciate that!!! 🙂

August 20, 2020 at 1:01 am

May 28, 2021 at 12:23 am

That’s really nice post. I appreciate your skills. Thanks for sharing.

How to Make a Paper Boat – Origami for Kids

We love doing simple origami and this time we’re going to learn how to make a paper boat – a summer favorite!

We’ve done quite a few awesome origami tutorials for kids and each of them is a must make!

How to Make a Paper Boat Easy Origami Idea

I loved to make these as a kid (the exact same ones) and I loved to play with them even more – we would sail them in the bathtub, puddles and lakes and when possible even have boat races with other neighbourhood kids.

This time though we took it a step further too see who can make the smallest origami boat – each time working with a smaller piece of paper (cutting the size of the paper to half each time) and I was genuinely surprised with the size of paper we have come down to – and too be honest we could probably do one even smaller if I’d have some tweezers at hand.

How to Make a Paper Boat

All you need is a sheet of paper letter sized or A4. Regular print paper is perfect for this project. Use as many colors as possible.

Start off with a sheet of paper and fold it in half downwards.

Fold in half again as shown on the second image (you don’t need to make the crease from top to bottom – you just need to mark the center).

Bring corners to the center so that you get a triangle shape with a rectangle under it.

Fold the rectangle part under the triangle upwards (as shown with the purple spots) – flip your origami and do the same on the other side.

Grab the center of the triangle shape as indicated on the first image above with the red spot and pull both sides (holding the red spot) out. Flatten.

You’ll get the shape as shown on the second image above (ignore that red spot in the left bottom corner – I have no idea how that one came there haha).

Fold the front layer up (as shown with the green spot) flip the origami boat to be and do the same with the back layer. You’ll get a triangle shape.

Slowly pull the top parts outwards and you have your paper boat!

How to Make Paper Boats Tutorial - Origami for Kids

More cool origami for kids you can try:

We’ve had a lot of fun creating this shark fortune teller – it’s fun to make and even more fun to play with. You should also give these origami frogs a try!

Unlock VIP Printables - Become a Member

Let's take a walk into the forest and learn about the animals there by making…

And here's something for the origami lovers! I've rounded up some of the most fun…

Time for another origami! This time we're making an easy origami hedgehog perfect for kids…

If your kids are into origami, or are just getting started this super simple origami…

Corner Bookmark - Hedgehog, simple origami for kids to make

Hedgehog crafts are usually "reserved" for fall but I do love this animal so much…

Easy Origami Corner Bookmark for Kids - Chick, perfect Easter origami for kids

Why not use fun origami to encourage reading? This cute chick corner bookmark is an…

Make a paper boat

Explore a creek or stream by setting sail! With nothing more than some paper and a few folding tricks you can make your own vessel to investigate the water's currents. Text adapted from the Nat Geo Kids book Get Outside Guide by Nancy Honovich and Julie Beer.

Take a piece of paper and place it in front of you with the shorter side at the top. Fold the paper in half from top to bottom.

Fold left to right to find the center and reopen. Bring the top two corners together to the middle, forming a point, and crease.

Fold the top flap at the bottom of the paper up; turn over and fold the other flap up. Fold the triangle tabs in over each other so you have a triangle.

Pop open the center like a hat, push the pointed sides to meet, and crease down so that you now have a square.

With the opening facing you, fold the top layer up to meet the other point. Turn the paper over and repeat.

Gently pull apart the top two points while pushing out with your fingers to form the bottom of the boat. Reinforce corners with clear tape, and also tape around the bottom to keep your boat dry. Now you're ready to launch your craft!

Read this next!

Craft corner, (ad) make this, (ad) get outside guide, (ad) nat geo kids cookbook: a year-round fun food adventure.

How to make a paper boat

It's time to set sail for a classic crafting adventure with this easy-to-do paper boat… all aboard!

Put your leftover Sunday papers to good use and let your kids' imagination run wild with this stunning and simple guide on how to make a paper boat.

This paper boat is so easy and cheap to make and is perfect for a bedroom centre piece, or smaller versions make for great party place settings. Make your room come alive with these stunning paper ships.

Personalise or decorate your paper boats with flags - you can even paint them in your favourite bright, striking colours.

Follow our step-by-step how to picture guide to fold your newspaper into a paper boat. A couple of simple wallpaper and washi tape additions transform a simple origami technique into a paper boat you'd proudly display in your home. It'll keep the little ones entertained for a couple of hours too.

To make a paper boat:

Instructions to make a paper boat:

1. Cut a sheet of newspaper down to approximately 35x45cm.

2. Fold the newspaper sheet in half (top to bottom). Then fold from side to side, to create a crease, and unfold.

3. Next, fold the top left tip downwards, so it touches the middle crease. Do the same with the top right tip.

4. Fold the bottom flap upwards, flip it over and fold the other bottom flap upwards. Insert your thumbs into the middle and pull outward. Press flat to create a square.

5. With the point of the open side facing toward you, lift one bottom flap and make it touch the opposite tip. Turn over and repeat – you should have a triangle.

6. Hold the two top tips and pull outwards to create a boat.

7. Cut two small rectangular pieces of wallpaper. Push a skewer through each piece to create a sail, then poke it down through the top of the boat and glue to secure.

8. Cut another skewer in half. Glue one half to each end of the boat. Stick strips of craft tape along a 50cm piece of string at intervals. Snip the tape into triangle. Sail away!

Esme is Future's resident craft expert, working across titles such as GoodTo, Woman&Home, Woman’s Weekly, Woman, Woman’s Own, Chat, Now, Pick Me Up and The Craft Network. Successfully turning her sewing hobby into a career, she's adept in a number of crafts, including sewing, papercraft, calligraphy, embroidery and printing.

Fans watching Amazon Prime's latest hit TV series want to know how many episodes of Daisy Jones and the Six there are and when each episode is released. We've compiled your essential viewing guide.

By Emily Stedman • Published 2 March 23

Health chiefs have issued an alert after reports of cases rising

By Selina Maycock • Published 2 March 23

Useful links

GoodTo is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Making an Easy Origami Boat

The Spruce Crafts / Chrissy Pk

Total Time: 10 mins

Origami comes from the Japanese. The word means the art of folding paper. " Ori " means "folding," and kami means "paper." In modern usage, the word "origami" is used as an inclusive term for all folding practices. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques.

Learn how to make the most well-known origami boat with this quick and easy step-by-step tutorial. This origami boat can also float in water .

Watch Now: How to Make an Origami Boat

This origami boat is a great model to teach kids. It is similar to the origami hat that you make with newspaper. Also, origami can be a great math-related activity for kids as your child creates using geometry.

What You'll Need

1 Rectangular sheet of paper

Instructions

Make the first folds.

Start with your rectangular paper, orient it vertically, with the long edges going up and down. Fold the bottom half up to the top.Fold the bottom right corner over to the left corner and make a small pinch, just enough to crease the paper. Open it back up.

Create a Triangle Shape

Using the crease as a guide, fold the left and right bottom corners up and to the middle. Flatten the folded pieces down. Rotate the paper. Fold one layer from the bottom up along the bottom of the front flaps.

A Boat Begins to Take Shape

Flip the paper over to the other side. Fold the bottom edge up in the same way. Unfold, and then fold the bottom right corner in along the crease you made. Repeat on the bottom left flap.

Form the Bottom of the Boat

Re-fold the bottom edge back up. Open the bottom of the model. Look at the corners. Flatten and then insert the overlapping flap on the left underneath the right section.

Continue Folding

Fold one layer up to the top. Repeat on the back. Open the bottom of the model.

Finalize the Folds

Pull apart the left and right flaps. Flatten it out, in the shape of a boat. Open it slightly. The triangle in the middle resembles a sail.

More from The Spruce Crafts

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Sailing, Yacht Charter and Beyond

How to Make a Paper Boat

We get tons of queries about how to make a paper boat. So this blog post is dedicated to teaching you how to make a boat out of paper. Following our simple step-by-step guide, you will have a floating paper boat in a flash.

In folding a paper boat you will make a step in Origami technique ; a creative and innovative world of paper formatting. Origami is the Japanese name for the art of paper folding, and it has now become a beloved art form for people around the world. Origami has a history; the first use of the word “Origami” in Japan was not for our familiar recreational paper folding, but certificates. In Japan, there is an expression, Origami Tsuki , meaning “certified” or “guaranteed”.

The phrase stems from an ancient custom of folding certain special documents – such as diplomas for Tea Ceremony masters , or masters of swordsmanship – in such a way as to prevent unauthorized copies from being made. However, nowadays origami represents a creative way of spending time and a hobby for both adults and children.

How to Make a Paper Boat Step by Step

Start from a rectangle. Fold in half.

Fold in half again and unfold.

Fold to the center.

Fold the overlapping strip upwards.

Fold corners backwards. Turn over.

Fold strip upwards.

Fold triangle upwards. Repeat behind.

Open (like in the steps 7 and 8).

Take upper corners and stretch out.

Your boat is finished.

Now that we’ve taught how to make a paper boat, you’re ready to charter a yacht and enjoy some true sailing on a real boat. We hope you found these instructions useful. We would love to see your own made paper boats in the comments.

Search this Site

Like origami tell your friends, most popular origami, origami paper.

We use standard size 6 inch x 6 inch (15cm x 15cm) square origami paper for this site unless stated otherwise. If you can, use different types of origami paper to change the look of the finished origami and have fun with it!

Origami Books and Paper 4-for-Price-of-3

Translate this Site

Origami boat.

The origami boat is easy to make, and is also a fun action toy.

Made this origami? Comment and Submit your photo using the comment box at the end of this page!

All over the world, the rainy season will see many kids building boats.

These actually float!

They can also be waterproofed to last longer. Let's start folding.

Begin with a rectangular piece of paper.

Fold it in half as shown. Then partially fold it again, making a crease near the top:

Here you can see the crease in the photo below left. This helps you line up the corners which you fold down as shown below:

Now fold each edge of the paper upwards as shown. Use your fingers to open up into a hat! You can stop at the hat, or continue on to the boat.

Bring the corners of the hat brim towards each other. The edges of the brim will be pushed outwards. It's kind of like you're "squashing" the hat into a square:

Now take one lower corner of the square and fold it upwards. Flip the piece over and do the same for the other corner.

You now have a folded triangle. Open up the folded triangle, bring the corners together...

...again, "squash" the triangle into a square (below middle photo).

Now pull the outer corners of the square, one in each hand.

Keep pulling to unfold your boat.

We like to turn the boat over and expand the hole in the bottom. This will help it balance and float better.

Now we just need some water to float our origami boat !

Here is a video showing the folding of this origami boat.

Check out the many origami boat photos that have been submitted by our readers!

IMAGES

How to Make a Paper Boat with a Flag & Lifesaver
Fold A Paper Mayflower Ship {Free Printable}
Pin on science
Maritime Makers #CraftParty
Pin on VBS
Download 326+ Origami Sail Boat Tutorial Coloring Pages PNG PDF File

VIDEO

Easy Way To Make Paper Boat
Paper Boat
How to make a paper boat
Paper boat tutorial step by step
Easy origami Boat With Paper
make boat

COMMENTS

How to Make a Paper Boat: 10 Steps (with Pictures)
Making the Final Folds · 1. Make the triangle into a square. Pick up the triangle, rotate it 45 degrees, then use your fingers to open up the bottom of the
How to Make a Paper Boat (Origami Instructions)
Difficulty (Simple) In this video, you will learn how to make a paper boat. This is an easy traditional design that is
How to Make PAPER BOAT : 12 Steps
How to Make PAPER BOAT · Step 1: Use Rectangle Paper · Step 2: Fold the Rectangle Sheet of Paper in Half Along Its Short Side · Step 3: Fold It in Half From Bottom
How to Make a Paper Boat
Start by folding your piece of paper in half lengthwise, then open it up again. · Rotate the paper as shown in the photo below, so that the fold
How to Make a Paper Boat
How to Make a Paper Boat ... All you need is a sheet of paper letter sized or A4. Regular print paper is perfect for this project. Use as many colors as possible.
Make a paper boat
Fold the top flap at the bottom of the paper up; turn over and fold the other flap up.
How to make a paper boat
Instructions to make a paper boat: · 1. Cut a sheet of newspaper down to approximately 35x45cm. · 2. Fold the newspaper sheet in half (top to
How to Make an Easy Origami Boat
Instructions · Make the First Folds. Start with your rectangular paper, orient it vertically, with the long edges going up and down. · Create a
How to Make a Paper Boat Step-by-Step Guide
Start from a rectangle. Fold in half. Paperboat instructions - Step 1 Step 1 ; Fold in half again and unfold. Paperboat instructions - Step 2 Step 2 ; Fold to the
How to make a Simple Origami boat
ready to make origami boat. origami-boat folded rectangle · origami-boat-crease mark. Now fold each edge of the paper upwards as shown. · origami hat! Bring the