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PlayOwl
A puffy pink origami rabbit shaped like a small box, with two pointed ears standing up and a drawn face.
The finished project.

Origami · folding only

Three-Dimensional Rabbit

  • Confident (level 4 of 5)
  • 20 min
  • 14 steps
  • Ages 8–13 (a guide, not a rule)
  • No scissors
  • No glue
  • No adult help needed
Start Making Print

This traditional model starts flat and finishes round. One side is folded like the classic waterbomb balloon, with little points tucked into pockets; the other side keeps two big flaps that become the ears. A gentle puff into the small hole at the bottom makes the body pop out into 3D.

Before you start

You need

Decorating (optional): Draw the face after the rabbit is puffed up, so the eyes sit on the flat front.

No square of origami paper? Thin printer paper cut or torn into a square also works, but it is harder to puff up.

Blow gently into your own model only, and do not share it mouth to mouth with friends.

How to place the paper before the first step
Your paper: Put the square down flat, colored side up, with straight edges at the top and bottom.
  • Valley fold: blue dashes. Fold toward you, like a valley.
  • Crease: a thin gray line where you folded before.
  • 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: fold and unfold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 1 result Result
    Step 1 of 14 Fold and unfold Fold the square in half edge to edge and unfold. Then fold it in half the other way and unfold.
  2. Step 2: turn over, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 2 result Result
    Step 2 of 14 Turn over Turn the paper over so the white side is up.
  3. Step 3: fold and unfold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 3 result Result
    Step 3 of 14 Fold and unfold Fold in half corner to corner and unfold. Then fold corner to corner the other way and unfold.
  4. Step 4: push, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 4 result Result
    Step 4 of 14 Push Push the middles of the left and right edges in toward the center. The top half swings down toward you over them.
  5. Step 5: squash fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 5 result Result
    Step 5 of 14 Squash fold Press flat into a triangle with two flaps on each side. This is a waterbomb base.
  6. Step 6: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 6 result Result
    Step 6 of 14 Valley fold Fold the bottom corners of the top layer up to the top point. (Zoomed in: the waterbomb base is drawn bigger from here on.)
  7. Step 7: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 7 result Result
    Step 7 of 14 Valley fold Fold the left and right points of the front layers in to meet at the center line.
  8. Step 8: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 8 result Result
    Step 8 of 14 Valley fold Fold the two small top points down so their tips meet the middle of the center line.
  9. Step 9: tuck, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 9 result Result
    Step 9 of 14 Tuck Tuck each small triangle into the pocket of the side flap next to it. Push it in all the way.
  10. Step 10: turn over, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 10 result Result
    Step 10 of 14 Turn over Turn the paper over from side to side.
  11. Step 11: valley fold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 11 result Result
    Step 11 of 14 Valley fold Fold the bottom corners of this layer up to the top point. Do not fold anything else: these two flaps are the ears.
  12. Step 12: open, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 12 result Result
    Step 12 of 14 Open Find the small hole at the bottom point. Blow into it gently, in one short puff, and the body pops into a puffy box shape.
  13. Step 13: pull, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 13 result Result
    Step 13 of 14 Pull Turn the rabbit so the ears are on top, and lift both ears up so they stand.
  14. Step 14: draw, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 14 result Result
    Step 14 of 14 Draw Draw two eyes, a nose and whiskers on the front. Your rabbit is ready!
A puffy pink origami rabbit shaped like a small box, with two pointed ears standing up and a drawn face.

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 body will not puff up.

Check that the bottom point has a small open hole, then blow one short, gentle puff. You can also push the body out with a pencil from inside the hole.

The tucked points pop out.

Push each small triangle deeper into its pocket, and crease the side folds sharply.

The ears flop over.

Pinch a crease along the bottom of each ear so it stands, and lift it straight up from the top.

Helpful hints

  • Crease every fold sharply, but leave the bottom point a little open for the air.
  • The side with the tucked points becomes the rabbit's face side; the other side gives the ears.

The traditional inflatable (blow-up) rabbit, a variation of the waterbomb balloon. Diagrams drawn for PlayOwl.

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