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PlayOwl
An orange origami fox face shaped like a diamond, with two tall ears, two eyes and a black nose at the bottom point.
The finished project.

Origami · folding only

Fox Face

  • Starter (level 1 of 5)
  • 6 min
  • 7 steps
  • Ages 4–8 (a guide, not a rule)
  • No scissors
  • No glue
  • No adult help needed
Start Making Print

A fox has a long, pointed nose and tall ears. In this model you fold a triangle, fold its corners down to the bottom point, then fold each point back up so it sticks out as an ear. Turn it over and the fox face is ready to draw on. Orange paper that is white on the back works best.

Before you start

You need

Decorating (optional): Draw the eyes and a black nose at the bottom point. You can color white cheeks or dark tips on the ears.

No square of origami paper? No origami paper? Fold the corner of a printer sheet over to the opposite edge, then tear off the extra strip along a sharp crease 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 white side facing up.
  • Valley fold: blue dashes. Fold toward you, like a valley.
  • Turn over: flip the whole model to its other side.

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 top corner down to meet the bottom corner. Press the fold flat.
  2. Step 2: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 2 result Result
    Step 2 of 7 Valley fold Fold the left corner down so it touches the bottom point.
  3. Step 3: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 3 result Result
    Step 3 of 7 Valley fold Fold the right corner down to the bottom point too. Now you have a diamond.
  4. Step 4: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 4 result Result
    Step 4 of 7 Valley fold Fold the bottom point of the left flap up and out, so it sticks up past the top. That is an ear.
  5. Step 5: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 5 result Result
    Step 5 of 7 Valley fold Fold the right flap up and out the same way to make the other ear.
  6. Step 6: turn over, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 6 result Result
    Step 6 of 7 Turn over Turn the paper over. The smooth side is the fox face.
  7. Step 7: draw, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 7 result Result
    Step 7 of 7 Draw Draw two eyes and a black nose at the bottom point. Your fox is ready!
An orange origami fox face shaped like a diamond, with two tall ears, two eyes and a black nose at the bottom point.

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 ears do not stick up past the top.

Make the ear fold line lower and steeper, starting near the side corner, so more of the point swings up.

The two flaps overlap in the middle.

Each corner should touch the bottom point exactly. Unfold, line it up again and press flat.

The face looks lumpy after you turn it over.

Press all the folds flat with your fingernail before you turn the paper over.

Helpful hints

  • Use the bottom point as your target for both side corners.
  • Fold the ears one at a time and make them the same height.
  • Run your fingernail along every fold to make it sharp.

The traditional fox face, a widely taught beginner model with ears folded up and out from a diamond. Diagrams drawn for PlayOwl.

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