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PlayOwl
A white paper cube with an orange circle, a purple diamond and a yellow star on the three faces you can see.
The finished project.

Paper craft

Cube from a Net

  • Confident (level 4 of 5)
  • 30 min
  • 8 steps
  • Ages 7–12 (a guide, not a rule)
  • Uses scissors
  • Uses glue
  • Adult help suggested
Start Making Print with template

A net is a flat shape that folds up into a solid. This one has six squares and seven glue tabs. Print the template at actual size on card stock, then cut, fold and glue: you will hold a real cube, and each face shows a different shape to name.

Before you start

You need

Decorating (optional): Color the shapes, or leave the squares white and draw your own pictures before you cut.

No card stock or thick paper, printed with the template? A small piece of clear tape can hold a tab that will not stick. Plain paper works if you have no card stock; the cube will be softer.

For the grown-up: Help with cutting the inside corners where the tabs meet the squares, and with holding the last tabs while the glue sets.

Use blunt-tip scissors and cut away from your fingers.

How to place the paper before the first step
Your paper: Print the template at 100% (Actual size) on card stock. Check that the 5 cm bar measures 5 cm with a ruler. Lay the sheet printed side up.
  • Mountain fold: pink dash-dot. Fold away from you, like a mountain.
  • Crease: a thin gray line where you folded before.
  • Cut: a thick solid line with scissors.
  • Glue: a yellow area marked "glue".
  • 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: cut, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 1 result Result
    Step 1 of 8 Cut Cut out the whole shape along the solid outer line. Keep every tab.
  2. Step 2: fold and unfold, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 2 result Result
    Step 2 of 8 Fold and unfold Fold along every dashed line, bending the paper away from you so the shapes stay outside. Then open it flat again.
  3. Step 3: glue, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 3 result Result
    Step 3 of 8 Glue Rub glue on the four tabs beside the circle square and the triangle square.
  4. Step 4: put together, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 4 result Result
    Step 4 of 8 Put together Stand the four walls up around the blue square. Press each glued tab inside the wall next to it and hold it for a few seconds.
  5. Step 5: tuck, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 5 result Result
    Step 5 of 8 Tuck Fold the three small top tabs inward so they lie flat.
  6. Step 6: glue, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 6 result Result
    Step 6 of 8 Glue Rub glue on top of the three folded tabs.
  7. Step 7: put together, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 7 result Result
    Step 7 of 8 Put together Close the lid: fold the star square over onto the glued tabs.
  8. Step 8: push, shown on the paper Do this
    Step 8 result Result
    Step 8 of 8 Push Press the lid gently over each tab and hold it for a minute while the glue sets.
A white paper cube with an orange circle, a purple diamond and a yellow star on the three faces you can see.

You made it!

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

Print the steps

Template

Print the template at 100% (Actual size), not "Fit to page". Then measure the check bar with a ruler: it must be 5 cm (2 in) long.

  • Cube net with glue tabs (preview, not to scale) Cube net with glue tabs · 167 × 200 mm. Each square is 45 mm (about 1.8 in). Print at 100%.
Print the template

If something goes wrong

The edges do not meet and there are gaps.

Check the 5 cm bar: if it is shorter or longer, print again at 100% (Actual size). Then crease each fold firmly before gluing.

A tab keeps popping open.

Use a little more glue and hold the tab for a full minute, or add a small piece of tape inside.

The lid will not close flat.

Make sure the three top tabs are folded inward, not outward, and that they are flat before you close the lid.

Helpful hints

  • Crease every fold before you glue anything: the cube comes together much more neatly.
  • Glue one tab at a time and hold it before moving on.

An original PlayOwl project.

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