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Rawrrr! Do you have a little one that loves dinosaurs and hands-on activities? Then you’re in the right place! Let’s make an origami dinosaur t-rex that stands on its own feet with a square piece of paper!

Finished origami dinosaur made with brown origami paper standing on top of a green background. — Let’s make an origami t-rex!

Origami is more than just a paper craft – it’s a fun way to let children’s creative side out while helping them develop their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills! It also helps develop their spatial, analytical, and thinking skills.

This origami t-rex project is perfect for older kids as it has some complex folds that younger kids may struggle with. However, we have tons of other origami projects for kids of all ages at the end of this blog post!

How to Fold An Origami T-Rex Dinosaur

Step 1

Start with a square sheet of origami paper, with the colored side facing up.

Step 2

Fold diagonally and open.

Step 3

Fold diagonally in the other direction and open.

Step 4

Turn over.

Step 5

Fold in half and open.

Step 6

Fold in half in the other direction and open.

Step 7

Turn over, and start pushing the paper from both sides. Keep pushing until the edges meet and you have a smaller square, as shown in the picture.

Step 8

Fold the corners up.

Step 9

Fold the triangle tip down.

Step 10

Unfold the last steps.

Step 11

Take the top layer and open it, then push the sides down so it looks like the picture.

Step 12

Turn over and pull the top flap down.

Step 13

Turn sideways and fold the bottom left side up to the middle.

Origami dinosaur - Step 13. The top left side is folded up to the middle. Tutorial from Kids Activities Blog. — Keep folding.

Step 14

Repeat on the top left side.

Step 15

Open the last folds.

Step 16

Pinch the left side.

Step 17

Fold in half while keeping the left side pointing up.

Step 18

Fold the top tip down to the left, and then to the right. Then, squash folds and crease.

Step 19

Fold the tip once again but just a tiny bit, both to the left and to the right.

Step 20

Squash fold the tip down and tuck inside.

Step 21

Open and squash down the front section; these will be our dinosaur’s front arms!

Step 22

Take the top layer of the back part and fold it downwards.

Step 23

On that same side, fold inward. These will be our dinosaur’s back legs!

Step 24

Repeat the previous two steps on the back layer to create the other leg.

Step 25

To create the feet, fold the bottom tips again, pointing to the front.

Step 26

Tuck the excess paper on the bottom by folding the pointy sections inside.

Step 27

Your origami dinosaur is ready to decorate your room!

Tips for Improving Your Origami Dinosaur

Whether you want to recreate this origami dinosaur or any other origami, make your origami projects easier for you by following these tips:

Use High-Quality Paper: Thinner paper with a bit of texture can make folding easier and more precise.
Practice Basic Folds: Mastering basic folds like valley folds, mountain folds, and squash folds will make the more complex steps easier.
Keep Your Folds Crisp: Use the edge of a ruler to create sharp, clean folds.
Take Your Time: Don’t rush the process. Origami is all about patience!
Start with Larger Paper: If you’re new to origami, starting with larger paper can make the folds easier to manage.
Decorate Your Dinosaur: Use markers, stickers, or even googly eyes to add personality to your dinosaur.
Make a Dinosaur Family: Create multiple dinosaurs in different sizes and colors to make a fun display.

Yield: 1 origami t-rex

How To Fold An Origami Dinosaur (T-Rex Craft)

This origami dinosaur makes a paper t-rex that stands on its own back legs!

Active Time 25 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Difficulty Medium

Estimated Cost $1

Materials

1 square piece of origami paper

Instructions

Start with a square sheet of origami paper, with the colored side facing up.
Fold diagonally and open.
Fold diagonally in the other direction and open.
Turn over.
Fold in half and open.
Fold in half in the other direction and open.
Turn over, and start pushing the paper from both sides. Keep pushing until the edges meet and you have a smaller square, as shown in the picture.
Fold the corners up.
Fold the triangle tip down.
Unfold the last steps.
Take the top layer and open it, then push the sides down so it looks like the picture.
Turn over and pull the top flap down.
Turn sideways and fold the bottom left side up to the middle.
Repeat on the top left side.
Open the last folds.
Pinch the left side.
Fold in half while keeping the left side pointing up.
Fold the top tip down to the left, and then to the right. Then, squash folds and crease.
Fold the tip once again but just a tiny bit, both to the left and to the right.
Squash fold the tip down and tuck inside.
Open and squash down the front section; these will be our dinosaur’s front arms!
Take the top layer of the back part and fold it downwards.
On that same side, fold inward. These will be our dinosaur’s back legs!
Repeat the previous two steps on the back layer to create the other leg.
To create the feet, fold the bottom tips again, pointing to the front.
Tuck the excess paper on the bottom by folding the pointy corners inside.
Your origami dinosaur is ready to decorate your room!

Notes

Whether you want to recreate this origami dinosaur or any other origami, make your origami projects easier for you by following these tips:

Use High-Quality Paper: Thinner paper with a bit of texture can make folding easier and more precise.
Practice Basic Folds: Mastering basic folds like valley folds, mountain folds, and squash folds will make the more complex steps easier.
Keep Your Folds Crisp: Use the edge of a ruler to create sharp, clean folds.
Take Your Time: Don’t rush the process. Origami is all about patience!
Start with Larger Paper: If you’re new to origami, starting with larger paper can make the folds easier to manage.
Decorate Your Dinosaur: Use markers, stickers, or even googly eyes to add personality to your dinosaur.
Make a Dinosaur Family: Create multiple dinosaurs in different sizes and colors to make a fun display.