The 10 Best Origami Kits
This wiki has been updated 22 times since it was first published in September of 2020. Origami is the traditional Japanese art of folding paper to create models, usually from a single sheet. Although the techniques can take a while to master, once you have them down you can have endless fun being creative and thinking up your own designs. All the kits in this list combine instructional books and the required paper, and often span varying degrees of difficulty. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Japanese Origami for Beginners
2. Tuttle Amazing Origami
3. Tuttle Extravaganza
Editor's Notes
September 28, 2020:
While it's possible to buy all kinds of origami paper and how-to books separately, many of us will want to buy a kit that combines both, especially if it is a gift for someone, as it means everything is at hand to start folding straightaway. What's more, many kits provide paper specially illustrated for each item. This is true of sets like the Harry Potter Origami and the Star Wars Origami that have pre-printed details to bring characters like Princess Leia, or buildings like Hogwarts Castle, to life.
If you're buying a kit for a child, it's worth considering that while many kids can do origami well after being shown how (YouTube is very good for this), many of them struggle to interpret the diagrams correctly and will possibly need help. That being said, if they do want to go it alone, you can reduce any potential frustration by finding a level that's not too hard. The items with the easiest instructions are the My First Origami Kit, the Kool Krafts Kit, and the book titled "Easy Origami" in the Fun Kit for Beginners set (but be aware that the other two books in this trilogy are a little harder).
Some items, like the LaFosse & Alexander's Flowers, feature instructional DVDs that prove extremely helpful when attempting complicated designs. As DVDs are becoming somewhat dated, they often make the same content available for streaming or downloading as well.
Many items, like the Complete Origami Kit, the Tuttle Extravaganza, and the Tuttle Amazing Origami pay homage to the roots of this art by including patterned paper reminiscent of the kind traditionally used and offering designs for origami models that are quintessentially Japanese like the crane, carp, koi, samurai helmet and kimono. This is especially true of the Japanese Origami for Beginners, which has a lot of detailed information outlining the history of origami.
Special Honors
Origamido Renowned origami artists Michael LaFosse and Richard Alexander have created this website as a showcase for their work, an online shop for purchasing their books through Tuttle publishing, and a place to contact them directly if you would like private lessons or to book them for a school workshop. origamido.com
4. Complete Origami Kit
5. Harry Potter Origami
6. LaFosse & Alexander's Flowers
7. Star Wars Origami
8. Fun Kit for Beginners
9. Kool Krafts Kit
10. My First Origami Kit
Karen Bennett lives in Chicago with her family, and when she’s not writing, she can usually be found practicing yoga or cheering on her kids at soccer games. She holds a master’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s in English, and her writing has been published in various local newspapers, as well as “The Cheat Sheet,” “Illinois Legal Times,” and “USA Today.” She has also written search engine news page headlines and worked as a product manager for a digital marketing company. Her expertise is in literature, nonfiction, textbooks, home products, kids' games and toys, hardware, teaching accessories, and art materials.