Origami Frog
1-3 Hours
Ages 11+
What Will You Learn?
The instructions below will take you through the folding of the traditional jumping frog. You don’t need any origami experience — just patience, since there are some tricky parts that may take a few tries to get right. Once you’ve got your frog working, you’ll need to (temporarily) dissect it so you can insert the LEDs. Building the circuit is a snap — all you need to connect the lights to the battery is a little bit of metallic foil tape. Then fold everything back up, and your frog will be jumping and glowing in no time!
Video Overview
To see it in action, and get a quick run-through of the origami steps, check out this short video. Scroll to the bottom to get more in-depth instructions and explanations from the Family Maker Camp video.
Pre-Fold the Paper
Step 1
Bring the shorter edge at the top down to the bottom edge. Make the crease sharp.
Step 2
Bring the top edge up to the middle fold and crease again. Open the paper up again.
Step 3
Bring one top corner down to the opposite end of the middle crease. Crease and open again. Repeat with the other corner.
Step 4
Optional: Repeat Steps 2-4 with the bottom edge of the paper.
Make the Frog's Head and Legs
Step 5
Take the X-fold on the top half of the paper and push in the sides to form a triangular “tent.” Flatten the triangle.
Step 6
Fold the bottom corners of the triangle up as shown to form the legs. Flatten.
Make the Frog's Body
Step 7
Fold up the bottom edge to the middle crease.
Step 8
Fold in the sides so they meet in the middle. You may need to lift the front legs out of the way.
Step 9
Fold the bottom up again so it meets the bottom corner of the head.
Make the Back Legs
Step 10
Reach inside the last fold to grab the corner of one side. Pull the corner out. Repeat with the other corner. The bottom now looks like a boat.
Step 11
Bring the corners of the “boat” down so they meet at the bottom, forming a diamond shape.
Step 12
Take one half of the diamond and fold it over so the edge meets the diagonal crease. Repeat with the other side to form the back legs.
Make the Springy Fold
Step 3
Bring the bottom of the frog up along the middle crease, so the back feet are touching the front feet.
Step 14
Bring the same piece down so the bottom edge meets the middle crease. Sharpen this fold.
Step 15
Turn your frog over. To give it a test jump, press down on the back edge to compress the springy fold. Slide your finger back to release it.
Add the LED Eyes
Step 16
Make sure the LEDs work together by sliding them both onto the battery. The positive wire leads (usually longer than the other lead) must touch the positive (smooth) side of the battery.
Step 17
Draw eyes near the frog’s nose, then unfold the origami. Poke the LEDs through the eyes — making sure the positive (longer) lead is closer to the nose.
Step 18
Take the foil strips and fold down one long edge so the glue sticks to itself. This will ensure that the metal foil makes a good connection between the LEDs and the battery. (You can skip this step if you are using copper foil tape with conductive glue.)
Step 19
Inside the head, bend the bottom (negative) leads down so they’re touching. Secure them to the paper with one piece of foil tape.
Step 20
Bend the top (positive) leads up and wrap the other piece of foil tape around them tightly.
Step 21
Place the battery, positive side up, over the foil tape. Use clear tape to hold it in place — making sure to leave the part of the positive side closest to the positive wires uncovered.
Test the Light-Up Frog
Step 22
Bend the positive wires down until they are almost touching the positive side of the battery. Fold the frog back up.
Step 23
Time for the final test! When you press down the back, the LEDs should light up. When you release it, the lights should go out as the frog leaps forward.
Step 24
If the eyes stay lit, adjust the positive leads. Your light-up frog should last for many hops.
Family Maker Camp Video
For a full walkthrough of this project with Kathy Ceceri, watch this video from last year’s camp!
About the Book
Making Simple Robots, 2nd Edition by Kathy Ceceri is based on the idea that anybody can build a robot! That includes kids, educators, parents, and anyone who didn’t make it to engineering school. If you can cut, fold, and tape a piece of paper to make a tube or a box, you can build a no-tech robotic part.
In fact, many of the models in this book are based upon real-life prototypes — working models created in research labs and companies. What’s more, if you can use the apps on your smartphone, you can quickly learn to tell robots what to do using free, online, beginner-level software like MIT’s Scratch and Microsoft MakeCode.
The projects in this book which teach you about electric circuits by making jumping origami frogs with eyes that light up when you get them ready to hop. You’ll practice designing all-terrain robot wheel-legs with free, online Tinkercad software, and you’ll create files ready for 3D printing. You’ll also learn to sew — and code — a cyborg rag doll with a blinking electronic “eye.”
Each project includes step-by-step directions and clear illustrations and photographs. Along the way, you’ll learn about the real research behind the DIY version, find shortcuts for making projects easier when needed, and get suggestions for adding to the challenge as your skill set grows.
Suggested Add-On: Making Simple Robots Starter Pack
This companion starter pack has all the electronics you’ll need and then some for the projects in Making Simple Robots, 2nd Edition, by Kathy Ceceri (book required for projects).
Materials:
- Copy paper (1)
- Cut paper to 4 1/4 by 8 1/2 inches (or similarly-sized rectangle with sides in ratio 1:2)
- LEDs (2)
- Choose LEDs with medium to long wire leads. Test that they will work by sliding them both onto the battery.
- 3V coin battery (1)
- CR2032 or similar
- Aluminum foil tape
- Found in hardware stores in the heating duct aisle. (Copper foil tape can be used as well.) You need 2 small strips, 1 by 1/4 inches (2.5 by .75 cm).
- Clear tape
- Any kind of non-conductive tape can be used.
