How to Make a Paper Gingerbread Man

Origami is the ancient Japanese art of paper folding and most of what we see in paper crafts today is the modern evolution of this intricate Japanese art. Like origami, modern paper folding is a great way to turn what is an ordinary sheet of paper into a unique work of art. Paper folding is great craft to do with kids as it develops advanced motor skills, while being a fun and interactive way to create crafts and decorations. Paper people can be used for holiday scrap book pages, ornaments for Christmas trees or for holiday cards and gift tags.

Things You'll Need

• Construction paper
• Printer paper
• Notebook paper
• Clear tape
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Flat surface
• Thread or ribbon
• Markers
• Crayons
• Colored pencils

Instructions

Create the Body

1. 

   Take a rectangular sheet of paper. You can use any standard sheet of paper as long as the sides are longer than the widths. Turn the sheet so that the long sides are on the top and bottom.

2. 

   Fold the sheet in half, like a newspaper, and then open it back up. Now fold the top side to the center crease, to make a quarter edge. Open the paper flat again and cut off this quarter edge on the top. Set strip aside and reserve for later.

3. 

   Fold like a book. With the remaining piece of paper, fold in half so that the left edge meets the right edge. Unfold and take the left edge and fold it to the center line. Unfold again. You should now have a crease at the half line and left quarter.

4. 

   Lift the center crease up and bring it to meet the quarter crease. Press down. This will create a front and back flap. Turn the paper over.

5. 

   Fold the top and bottom edges of the left side toward the center. This will create pressure on the center fold, which you will relieve by squash folding these edges into left pointing triangles.

6. 

   Take the right side and fold it over the right side.

7. 

   Take the top of the fold you created in Step 6 and fold it back to the left, like a book, so that it lines up with the perpendicular arms in the center that are pointing up and down.

8. 

   Fold the top and bottom edges of the right side in toward the center. You will need to squash fold the center bar like in Step 4, creating to right pointing triangles.

9. 

   Turn the paper one quarter turn to the right, counterclockwise, so that the largest section is facing up.

10. 

    Round the head. Fold the left corner in so that the top edge runs parallel to the center line. Repeat this step on the right side. Fold the top flap down.

11. 

    Round the arms. Corner edge the top and bottom points of the left and right arms. Turn over and set aside.

12. 

    Join the body and legs. Insert the legs into the bottom fold of the gingerbread body and slide up until the outsides line up with one another.

Create the Legs

1. 

   Create the legs. Take the small strip that you set aside in Step 1. Take the right side and fold it to the right and slightly down. Turn the paper over.

2. 

   Round the legs. Corner edge the bottom left and right corners of both legs. Turn the legs over.

3. 

   Join the body and legs. Insert the legs into the bottom fold of the gingerbread body and slide up until the outsides line up with one another

Tips & Warnings

• Use markers, crayons or colored pencils to decorate your gingerbread man.

• Secure the legs to the body using some clear tape.