How to Make Origami Water Bombs

The completed water bomb

The art of paper folding or to use its Japanese name, origami, is great fun and challenging. To be able to take a 2-dimensional piece of paper and then make a 3-dimensional item, is something to hold pride in. One of the original pieces of origami is the water bomb or paper ball. Yes, this will hold water and can be used as the name would suggest.

Things You'll Need

• Square piece of paper (the larger it is, the easier it is)

Instructions

1. 

   Take your square sheet of paper and fold it in half. Now fold one corner to the other. Open the paper and fold the other corners together.

2. 

   Open the paper and you will see that it is creased with an "X" and a line going down the middle. Push your finger into the center and it will flex up. Fold the horizontal lines up, and the corners on the right and left of the line behind it. Because the paper is creased it should do this with ease. When the lines meet and the corners are behind their respective lines, flatten it all out.

3. 

   Place the model pointy side up. It doesn't matter what side. Fold the points of the corner up to the top point. Now turn the model over and do the same thing on the other side.

4. 

   Take the diamond you've made, and fold the small corners of the diamond towards the center.

5. 

   Fold the small triangles below the fold you just made over the line that the last step's fold has made. Open the little pocket last step's fold has, and slip the small triangles you have just folded into the pocket.

6. 

   Grasp the model with both hands. Open up all four sides so that when you look down at it looks like an asterisk. At the top of the model there is a hole. Place your lips on the model, and blow into the hole. The entire model will fill to size.

Tips & Warnings

• When you are folding the horizontal lines, it is easier to do this with two hands. The paper wants to do this. You just have to help it.

• If the small triangles will not fully fit into the pocket, put as much as you can, and then fold the remainder over the line as you did before. Then fold that piece into the pocket.

• When you blow into the model, you will have to loosen your grip and let it fill.

• The bottom might want to flatten out, a pen or finger into the center will stop it from doing that.

• Make sure that every fold is perfect as you can. The better the fold, the better the final product.

• Every fold should have a good crease, push the fold down with a thumb nail or knuckle.

• If you blow into the model to hard, you might break it.