Here's a nice break for you and your brain, because we all need a dose of fun to get through all those other things we have to do. Get a bunch of frog-makers together and have your own department jump-off. Loser buys the bagels. (let us know who won!).
Step 1You need a piece of paper about 15cm (6 inches) square. Origami paper works best because it is very thin. Fold the left and right edges in to meet in the middle. You may want to mark to center to make your sides even. |
Step 2Valley fold the top left and right corners in to meet at the center line. Press down firmly to create a visible fold line and open out again, forming the diagonal creases as shown |
Step 3After unfolding your previous fold, you will be inverting it using the top and outside edges to fold inward toward the center line. Your valley fold lines are guides. Make inside folds at the top left and right corners. The fold is now inside, between the two valley folds. (In the photo, the white side is the "valley") |
Step 4Valley fold the left and right edges to meet at the center line. |
Step 5Pull the two pointed flaps at the top of the model down and valley fold to form "wings". At the base of the model, valley fold the bottom left and right edges to meet the center line. Smooth down the folds and open out again. (Just like in step 2) |
Step 6Valley fold in half the two "wings" at the top of the model, back toward the frog's head. These wings are the frog's front legs. At the base of the model make inside folds at left and right, using the existing fold-lines to guide you. (This is again like step 3, where the previous fold creates lines to be used to reverse or invert the fold) |
Step 7Now grasp the two flaps at the base and pull them up and out until they lie flat and are perpendicular to the table. As you do, the bottom section will fold upwards, creating the shape shown in the photo. |
Step 8Valley fold the base flaps as shown in the photo to create the frog's back legs. You will be folding the two outside flaps (the legs) toward you. |
Step 9Now pleat fold the frog's body as shown in the photo, making first a valley, then a peak, then a valley fold. Make sure the pleats are sharp and that they line up neatly one over the other. This pleating forms the "spring" mechanism that makes the frog jump. |
Step 10Press firmly at the base of the model and release to make the frog jump. |
Step 11Done! |
