How to Make an Origami Sugar Glider

When gliding, the sugar glider appears like a square mat.

Sugar gliders have similar physical appearances to the flying squirrel. Many animals with similar physical appearances share the same folding techniques to create its origami shape. Creating an origami flying squirrel, you can also have an origami sugar glider. Create such origami animals for children to play with, or to put on display to help children learn about the different types of animals from around the world. The sugar glider is primarily found in Australia and New Guinea.

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Origami paper (6 inches square)
Black sharp tip marker

Instructions

- 1
  
  Place the front side of the origami paper face down and position the corner angles of the paper to point up, down, left and right.
- 2
  
  Fold the right corner to the left corner and unfold the paper.
- 3
  
  Bring the top corner down to the bottom corner and unfold.
- 4
  
  Fold the left and right corners to the center crease line, and fold the resulting left and right edges to the center crease line. Undo all folds. Your paper has a horizontal crease line and seven vertical crease lines.
- 5
  
  Bring the left corner to the right, folding down at the third vertical crease line from the left.
- 6
  
  Form a diagonal crease by pulling the folded left corner back to the left. The diagonal crease is formed by folding down at the top of the third vertical crease line from the left, and running it down to the fourth vertical crease line from the left at the bottom.
- 7
  
  Bring the right corner to the left, folding down at the third vertical crease line from the right. Form a diagonal crease on this side, the same way you did for the left side, but starting at the top of the third vertical crease line from the right and running it down to the fourth vertical crease line from the right at the bottom. The paper has side wings and sharp tips at the top for the tail and bottom for the head.
- 8
  
  Fold the sharp tip at the bottom up so you form a horizontal crease line at the lower side angles of the wings. Fold the tip back down, forming a horizontal crease at the top of the diagonal angles on the sides of the sharp tip.
- 9
  
  Bring the top tip of the paper down to the folded horizontal crease at the bottom. Fold the tip back up so the angles at the sides of the tip are lined up with the resulting folded horizontal edge.
- 10
  
  Fold the bottom side angles of the top tip up to line up with the horizontal crease, and unfold.
- 11
  
  Push the unfolded side angles in and up to make the paper pop up. When the angles meet the horizontal crease on the back side, push down on the paper to flatten it. Two triangles appear upside-down.
- 12
  
  Fold the bottom tip up at the middle of its length and turn the paper to the other side.
- 13
  
  Fold the side angles at bottom for the head up to create ears. Fold the side angles back down, leaving a margin before folding it back down to make the ears pop.
- 14
  
  Fold the forehead up and a triangle flap appears for the full face.
- 15
  
  Fold the tip from the triangle flap up to where the nose would appear, and bring the tip back down. Fold when it lines up with the bottom folded edge. Use a black marker to add eyes to either side of the nose; the origami sugar glider is complete.