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PlayOwl
A flat paper house with a red folded roof, a round window in the roof, white walls, a brown door and two blue windows.
The finished project.

Origami · folding only

Flat Folded House

  • Easy (level 2 of 5)
  • 6 min
  • 4 steps
  • Ages 4–8 (a guide, not a rule)
  • No scissors
  • No glue
  • No adult help needed
Start Making Print

This little house needs only three folds: the two top corners fold down to make a colored roof over white walls. Then you draw the door, the windows and anything else you like. Make a whole street of houses in different colors and stick them on a card or a wall.

Before you start

You need

Decorating (optional): Draw a door, windows, flowers, a cat in the window or a number on the door.

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 straight, with the edges at the top, bottom and sides, and the white side facing up.
  • Valley fold: blue dashes. Fold toward you, like a valley.
  • Crease: a thin gray line where you folded before.

Step by step

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

  1. Step 1: fold and unfold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 1 result Result
    Step 1 of 4 Fold and unfold Fold the left edge over to the right edge, then open it again. Now there is a crease down the middle.
  2. Step 2: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 2 result Result
    Step 2 of 4 Valley fold Fold the top left corner down so its top edge lies along the middle crease.
  3. Step 3: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 3 result Result
    Step 3 of 4 Valley fold Fold the top right corner down the same way. The two corners make the roof.
  4. Step 4: draw, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 4 result Result
    Step 4 of 4 Draw Draw a door and two windows on the white walls. Your house is ready!
A flat paper house with a red folded roof, a round window in the roof, white walls, a brown door and two blue windows.

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 roof is lopsided.

Unfold the corners. Line each top edge up with the middle crease exactly, then press.

The roof corners will not stay down.

Press each fold hard with your fingernail. Then put the house under a heavy book for a minute.

Helpful hints

  • Draw the door in the middle, on the crease, so it stands straight.
  • Try different colors of paper for a row of houses.

An original PlayOwl project.

  • A yellow house with a red pointy roof, a brown door with a round top, two blue windows and a chimney.

    Simple House

    Starter (level 1 of 5) 8 min Ages 3–7
  • 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 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