How to Make an Origami Heart

Need a Valentine's Day craft idea for kids? How about easy origami hearts? The step by step instructions below will show how to fold paper into hearts.  

These paper heart origami are great to use on Valentine's Day for making cards, garland, plant stakes, place cards, and more.  This would make a fun classroom craft or for a classroom Valentine's Day party.

Simple Origami Heart Tutorial

Origami is the art of folding paper into shapes and designs.  If you want to learn more about origami or find other projects, visit our Origami page.

Handmade gifts bring joy to that special someone in your life.  This origami love heart is perfect for Valentine's Day, anniversary or birthday.  Write a love note on it or tuck the message into the back of the heart to show how much you care.

This is such a simple DIY but tons of fun and also a great activity for the kids.  Toddlers who can't make them will enjoy playing with them.  Older children who learn how to make the origami hearts themself can add them to their memory board or make one of the activities listed below.

Watch the video or scroll down to follow the seven easy steps photo tutorial and you'll learn how to make an origami heart.

Do you want other craft ideas kids can make for Valentine's Day? Our Kid's Valentine's Day Craft page has lots of free projects.

HOW TO FOLD AN Easy ORIGAMI HEART

STEP 1: Cut Paper

To begin making the origami heart, you start with a square piece of paper. The paper can be origami paper, construction paper or other recycling paper.  The size of the paper will determine the final size of the origami heart.  For a larger heart, use a larger piece of paper.

Place the paper on a flat work surface and fold the paper in half. With a scissor cut along the crease line to form two rectangles. One square piece of paper will make two hearts.

STEP 2: Fold Down Center

Place one rectangle on a flat surface with the white side facing up. If you are using construction paper or the paper does not have one colored side, then have either side facing up.

Fold the paper in half and crease as shown above.  Then unfold the paper. 

NOTE: Origami paper has one colored side and one white side.  Place the paper on a table with the color side down and the white side up.

STEP 3: Fold Lengthwise

Fold the paper in the opposite direction.  With paper on the table lengthwise, fold the long side up from the bottom of the rectangle approximately 1/3 of the way.

Note that your first crease is in the center of the photo above.  1/3 of the white back of the paper is showing after the fold.

STEP 4: Fold Point of Heart

To make the bottom point of the easy origami heart, fold the right and left sides of the rectangle to the center crease line. Crease along the fold.

Your paper heart should look like the above picture.

STEP 5: Fold the Sides Inward

Turn the paper over. Fold the right side inward as shown above and crease.  Fold the left side the same way.  Be sure to fold in the same amount on both sides so the origami heart will be even on both sides.

STEP 6: Fold Top Corners

Next, fold the top corners down diagonally and crease the paper.  The photo above shows the first corner folded down.

After all four top corners are folded diagonally, it should look like the photo below. 

STEP 7: Fold Down Tips

Fold-down the top tips of the rounded part of the heart slightly.  See the photo above for a sample.

The easy origami heart is complete.  It's it!  You've learned how to make an origami heart.  Are you wondering what you can do with these paper hearts?  We have a collection of ideas below.  And keep reading for some other fun Valentine Craft ideas for kids.

• Loop Yarn Heart Pillow
• Valentine's Decoupage Frame
• Felt Heart Ornament
• Valentine's Day Wooden Heart Decoration
• Scrap Fabric Valentine's Day Card
• Heart Pencil Favors
• Heart Pencil Topper
• Valentine's Day Heart Mobile
• Valentine's Day Heart Box
• Valentine's Day Heart Garland
• Valentine's Day Butterfly Pencil Card
• Valentine's Day Hair Scrunchie
• Crocheted Rose Frame
• Rose Heart Door Hanger
• Valentine's Day Fabric Tissue Cover