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PlayOwl
A purple folded corner bookmark with a smiling face, shaped like a square with a pocket at the bottom.
The finished project.

Origami · folding only

Corner Bookmark

  • Easy (level 2 of 5)
  • 8 min
  • 7 steps
  • Ages 6–10 (a guide, not a rule)
  • No scissors
  • No glue
  • No adult help needed
Start Making Print

A corner bookmark sits on the corner of a page, so it cannot slip out of your book. Fold a triangle, fold down a pocket, then tuck the two side corners inside. Draw a face on the front to turn it into a little animal that holds your page.

Before you start

You need

Decorating (optional): Draw eyes, a smile or teeth on the front pocket, or add stripes and spots.

No square of origami paper? No origami paper? Fold the corner of a printer sheet over to the opposite edge, then cut or tear off the extra strip to make a square.

How to place the paper before the first step
Your paper: Put the square down like a diamond, with one corner pointing up and the colored side facing up.
  • Valley fold: blue dashes. Fold toward you, like a valley.
  • Crease: a thin gray line where you folded before.
  • Hidden edge: gray dots show paper behind another layer.

Step by step

Each step shows what to do (left) and how it should look after (right).

  1. Step 1: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 1 result Result
    Step 1 of 7 Valley fold Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner to make a triangle.
  2. Step 2: fold and unfold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 2 result Result
    Step 2 of 7 Fold and unfold Fold the right corner up to the top corner, then open it again.
  3. Step 3: fold and unfold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 3 result Result
    Step 3 of 7 Fold and unfold Fold the left corner up to the top corner, then open it again.
  4. Step 4: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 4 result Result
    Step 4 of 7 Valley fold Fold the top corner of the front layer down to the middle of the bottom edge. This makes the pocket.
  5. Step 5: tuck, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 5 result Result
    Step 5 of 7 Tuck Fold the right corner up along its crease and tuck it inside the pocket, behind the front layer.
  6. Step 6: tuck, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 6 result Result
    Step 6 of 7 Tuck Tuck the left corner inside the pocket the same way.
  7. Step 7: place, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 7 result Result
    Step 7 of 7 Place Slide the pocket over the corner of a page. Now your place is saved!
A purple folded corner bookmark with a smiling face, shaped like a square with a pocket at the bottom.

You made it!

Yours may look a little different. That is part of making things by hand.

Print the steps

If something goes wrong

The corner will not go into the pocket.

Open the pocket a little with your finger first, then slide the corner in along its crease.

The bookmark is loose on the page.

Press all the folds flat and tuck the corners all the way in. A smaller square makes a snugger pocket.

The front layer and back layer both folded down in step 4.

Unfold and lift only the front layer with your fingernail before you fold it down.

Helpful hints

  • The creases from steps 2 and 3 show you exactly where to fold when you tuck.
  • Draw the face after you finish folding, so the pocket stays on the front.

The traditional origami corner bookmark. Diagrams drawn for PlayOwl.

  • A red folded paper heart with a crease down the middle and softly rounded corners.

    Folded Heart

    Easy (level 2 of 5) 8 min Ages 5–9 Origami Square of origami paper No scissors No glue
  • A blue folded paper envelope with side flaps and a pointed top flap tucked under the bottom flap.

    Envelope

    Growing (level 3 of 5) 10 min Ages 6–11 Origami Square of origami paper No scissors No glue
  • A brown origami dog face with two floppy ears, a white snout, two eyes and a black nose.

    Dog Face

    Starter (level 1 of 5) 5 min Ages 4–8 Origami Square of origami paper No scissors No glue