Credits and Resources:
Design and Text-based Instructions by Annette Carr - Copyright 2025 by the author and by
accessorigami.com
This is an action model of a frog that you can make jump. Make frogs for yourself, your family members, and all of your friends, and have a contest to see whose frog can jump the furthest or highest. For a fair contest, all frogs should be made of the same size and weight paper.
I learned how to make a basic origami jumping frog decades ago and have since modified the model to make it my own. I am not aware of another model that is exactly like mine, although mine starts out like other jumping frog models.
Do not let the number of steps scare you away from folding this fun model. The steps are just broken into small segments. If this is one of your first models, you might find steps 13, 29 and 30 to be the hardest.
Paper:
This model works best with thicker paper such as an index card, thin card stock paper, braille paper, brown paper grocery bag, or even old business cards. See notes at the end for using business cards. If you do not have thicker paper, you can use 2-layers of printer paper. A 4.25-inch (10.8cm) square works well for this model.
Folding instructions:
1. Orientate the paper so that the top and bottom edges of the square are horizontal, and the sides of the square are vertical.
2. Fold square in half top to bottom, unfold.
3. Fold top edge to center fold, leave folded.
4. Fold bottom edge to center fold, leave folded.
Examine the model:
As the model lays in the landscape orientation with the short edges to the left and right, you should find a horizontal seam going across the center of the model where the raw edges meet at the center. This seam will be referred to frequently during the folding of the model.
5. Rotate model 90-degrees clockwise so it is in portrait orientation with the short edges at the top and bottom.
6. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge, leave folded.
7. Fold only the former top edge up to meet the folded edge you created in the previous step, leave folded.
8. Turn model over like flipping the pages of a book.
9. Fold the bottom edge up to the folded top edge you created earlier, leave folded.
10. The model is now fan-folded with 4 layers. Unfold and position the model in portrait orientation with short edges at the top and bottom of the model, and the seam where the 2 long edges meet in the middle of the model is vertical and facing up to the ceiling.
Examine the model:
You should find 3 horizontal folds - a mountain fold at the top, a valley fold in the middle, and a second mountain fold at the bottom.
11. Fold top left corner down so that the top edge lines up with the right edge. Notice how the other edge of the triangle lines up with the center horizontal valley fold. Unfold.
12. Fold top right corner down so that the top edge lines up with the left edge. Notice how the other edge of the triangle lines up with the center horizontal valley fold. Unfold.
Examine the model:
The model should still be in portrait orientation with the short edges at the top and bottom. starting from the top you will find 2 diagonal valley fold that form an X in the top half of the rectangle; a horizontal mountain fold that starts at the left edge and goes through the center of the X and ends at the right edge of the model; a horizontal valley fold going across the middle of the model at the bottom of the X; and a horizontal mountain fold across the middle of the lower half of the model.
13. Find the horizontal mountain fold that goes through the center of the X. Pinch the edges of the model at this fold and lift the edges up bringing the crease from either side of the X together. A triangle begins to form at the top of the model that is pointing away from you. Squash this triangle down flat.
Examine the model:
starting from the top you will find a multi-layered triangle that is pointing away from you; a horizontal edge at the bottom of the triangle made up of many layers that line up with what used to be the horizontal valley fold at the middle of the model; a horizontal mountain fold halfway between the bottom edge of the triangle and the bottom edge of the model; and a center vertical seam.
14. Flip the model over like turning the pages of a book.
15. Rotate the model 90-degrees counterclockwise. The long edges of the model make up the top and bottom edges, the 1 short edge is on the right, and the pointed edge is on the left.
16. Fold the top long edge down to the bottom long edge. When you are done you should see a triangle sticking out of the top edge of the model on the left.
17. Fold the bottom edge, top layer only, up to the new top edge.
Examine the model:
There is a triangle on the left top edge of your model pointing away from you. The bottom edge of this triangle is made by a crease line. As you follow this line to the right it becomes the top horizontal edge of the model formed by many layers, namely, a single layer raw edge nearest the table; then the crease you made in Step 16, then a single layer raw edge, and another creased edge nearest the ceiling.
18. Take the folded edge that is now laying along the center of the model and flip it over and away from you so that it lays flat. The crease you made in Step 17 is now the top horizontal edge of the model.
Examine the model:
There is a small triangle that is sticking out of the top left edge of your model. The remaining portion of the model is smooth with a horizontal crease line running along the center of the shape and another horizontal crease line between the center line and the bottom edge of the figure.
The left end of the rectangle is pointed and made up of a short edge that slopes up and to the right, and a longer edge that slopes down and to the right.
19. Rotate the model 180-degrees so that the pointed end moves from the left to the right, and the straight short edge is now on the left.
20. Fold the top long edge down using the existing horizontal center crease line of the model.
21. Fold the bottom edge up to the new top edge.
22. Grasp the bottom, folded edge you have just created and flip it over and away from you until it lays flat. There should now be a small triangle sticking out from beneath the model on the top right pointing away from you, and a small triangle sticking out from beneath the model on the bottom right pointing towards you.
23. Rotate the model 90-degrees counterclockwise so the triangle is pointing away from you, and the short edge is at the bottom.
Examine the model:
The model looks like an arrow pointing away from you. There is a tall narrow rectangle with a triangular point at the top. There are 2 small triangles sticking out from under the rectangle with one pointing to the left and one pointing to the right. If you flip the model over like turning the page of a book you will find a large triangle at the top of the model with a narrow rectangle extending out of the bottom of the triangle. The rectangle has a vertical center seam that is made up of multiple layers. Return the model to the orientation described in Step 23 by again turning it like the pages in a book.
24. Pick up the point of the triangle and fold it towards you. You are forming a crease in the tall narrow rectangle along the bottom edge of the triangle. When you are done the point of the triangle will be pointing at you as it is lying flat on the vertical rectangle.
25. Turn the model over like flipping the pages of a book.
Examine the model:
Starting from the top you will find a vertical rectangle with a vertical seam where edges meet in the vertical center; the top edge of the rectangle is formed by a fold; the bottom edge of the rectangle is made up of several layers of raw edges; There is a horizontal crease going across the middle of the rectangle and sticking out of the rectangle at the top left and top right are small triangles.
26. Find the horizontal crease that goes across the middle of the rectangle. Pinch this crease to better define a mountain fold.
27. Bring the mountain fold you just defined with a pinch and line it up with the crease that forms the top edge of the rectangle. This will form a horizontal valley fold halfway between the top of the rectangle and the mountain fold you defined in Step 26.
Examine the model:
Starting from the top you will find a square with its top edge being the mountain fold you defined in Step 26, the bottom edge is made up of raw layers, and there is a center vertical seam; under the square is a multi-layer horizontal set of rectangles that form a fanfold; under the rectangles is a multi-layer triangle pointing at you with small triangle corners pointing to the left and right at the top of the model and a small triangle pointing to you at the bottom of the model.
Pay close attention to the square at the top layer of the model. The bottom edge of the square is made up of several raw edges. the top layer on each side of the vertical seam is made up of 2 layers of paper that you cannot separate but you can feel that the layer feels thicker than a single layer of paper; under the double thick layer you will find a single layer on each side that has an edge on the bottom and along the vertical seam, and finally there is a bottom layer that makes up the back of the square.
28. Fold the bottom edge of the square up so the raw edges meet the folded edge at the top of the square you created in the previous step, crease and unfold.
29. As you work this step you will be working with the top double thick layers on either side of the vertical seam and leaving the single layers alone. Open the vertical seam of the square by grasping the corners located at the bottom edge at the center vertical seam. Lift these corners up, out, and forward. I slide my thumbs under the layer and slide them up and then out to the sides. This forces the edge that was along the seam to now be lined up with the top edge of the square. The bottom edge of the square starts to lift up. Under your thumbs you should feel diagonal creases forming. The one on the left starts at the center of the top edge and slopes down to the left, and the crease on the right starts at the center of the top edge and slopes down and to the right.
30. I adjust my fingers so that my index fingers replace my thumbs, and my thumbs move to the outside of the flap that is standing up along the bottom edge of the model.
I use my thumbs to push the flap forward and lay it down on top of the diagonal creases made earlier. Slide your thumbs apart, moving to the sides as you make a crease on the edge closest to you. You should notice triangular pieces pointing to the left and right.
Your frog is ready to start jumping.
Identifying your frog’s head, nose, and feet:
• The 2 little triangles formed in the last step are the feet of your frog.
• The big triangle is the head of your frog.
• The point of the big triangle is the nose of your frog.
Making your frog jump:
• Position your frog so its feet are on the table, the triangle head is on top, and the frog’s nose is pointing away from you and the long edge of the triangle is towards you.
• Insert the tip of your index finger into the frog’s head under the top layer and press down to hold your frog on the table. If your finger is too big to fit inside the frog’s head, just place it on top of the triangular frog head.
• Use your other hand to steady your frog and keep it from jumping too soon.
• Slide your finger back toward you so that the pad of your fingertip is starting to hang off the back edge of the frog’s head if it is not already in that position.
• When you are ready for your frog to jump, remove the hand that is holding the frog steady, and with a backward and downward movement let your finger come out of your frog’s head. This will take some practice.
Notes for using business cards.
• Start with step 5.
• After Step 13 when you are examining your model, you will not find a vertical seam.
• When examining the model after completing Step 24, you will find the square on top of the model is only made up of 2-layers, and not the multiple layers as described.
• When examining your model after step 27, you will find that the square only has 2 layers and not multiple as described.
• In Step 29 when you are picking up the bottom corners of the layers that form the center vertical seam, you only have the 1-layer to work with.
Making Origami Accessible Through Text-Based Instructions
For non-commercial use only.
Compiled: April 2025
This text copyright 2025 by the author and by accessorigami.com
Design and Text-based Instructions by Annette Carr - Copyright 2025 by the author and by
accessorigami.com
This is an action model of a frog that you can make jump. Make frogs for yourself, your family members, and all of your friends, and have a contest to see whose frog can jump the furthest or highest. For a fair contest, all frogs should be made of the same size and weight paper.
I learned how to make a basic origami jumping frog decades ago and have since modified the model to make it my own. I am not aware of another model that is exactly like mine, although mine starts out like other jumping frog models.
Do not let the number of steps scare you away from folding this fun model. The steps are just broken into small segments. If this is one of your first models, you might find steps 13, 29 and 30 to be the hardest.
Paper:
This model works best with thicker paper such as an index card, thin card stock paper, braille paper, brown paper grocery bag, or even old business cards. See notes at the end for using business cards. If you do not have thicker paper, you can use 2-layers of printer paper. A 4.25-inch (10.8cm) square works well for this model.
Folding instructions:
1. Orientate the paper so that the top and bottom edges of the square are horizontal, and the sides of the square are vertical.
2. Fold square in half top to bottom, unfold.
3. Fold top edge to center fold, leave folded.
4. Fold bottom edge to center fold, leave folded.
Examine the model:
As the model lays in the landscape orientation with the short edges to the left and right, you should find a horizontal seam going across the center of the model where the raw edges meet at the center. This seam will be referred to frequently during the folding of the model.
5. Rotate model 90-degrees clockwise so it is in portrait orientation with the short edges at the top and bottom.
6. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge, leave folded.
7. Fold only the former top edge up to meet the folded edge you created in the previous step, leave folded.
8. Turn model over like flipping the pages of a book.
9. Fold the bottom edge up to the folded top edge you created earlier, leave folded.
10. The model is now fan-folded with 4 layers. Unfold and position the model in portrait orientation with short edges at the top and bottom of the model, and the seam where the 2 long edges meet in the middle of the model is vertical and facing up to the ceiling.
Examine the model:
You should find 3 horizontal folds - a mountain fold at the top, a valley fold in the middle, and a second mountain fold at the bottom.
11. Fold top left corner down so that the top edge lines up with the right edge. Notice how the other edge of the triangle lines up with the center horizontal valley fold. Unfold.
12. Fold top right corner down so that the top edge lines up with the left edge. Notice how the other edge of the triangle lines up with the center horizontal valley fold. Unfold.
Examine the model:
The model should still be in portrait orientation with the short edges at the top and bottom. starting from the top you will find 2 diagonal valley fold that form an X in the top half of the rectangle; a horizontal mountain fold that starts at the left edge and goes through the center of the X and ends at the right edge of the model; a horizontal valley fold going across the middle of the model at the bottom of the X; and a horizontal mountain fold across the middle of the lower half of the model.
13. Find the horizontal mountain fold that goes through the center of the X. Pinch the edges of the model at this fold and lift the edges up bringing the crease from either side of the X together. A triangle begins to form at the top of the model that is pointing away from you. Squash this triangle down flat.
Examine the model:
starting from the top you will find a multi-layered triangle that is pointing away from you; a horizontal edge at the bottom of the triangle made up of many layers that line up with what used to be the horizontal valley fold at the middle of the model; a horizontal mountain fold halfway between the bottom edge of the triangle and the bottom edge of the model; and a center vertical seam.
14. Flip the model over like turning the pages of a book.
15. Rotate the model 90-degrees counterclockwise. The long edges of the model make up the top and bottom edges, the 1 short edge is on the right, and the pointed edge is on the left.
16. Fold the top long edge down to the bottom long edge. When you are done you should see a triangle sticking out of the top edge of the model on the left.
17. Fold the bottom edge, top layer only, up to the new top edge.
Examine the model:
There is a triangle on the left top edge of your model pointing away from you. The bottom edge of this triangle is made by a crease line. As you follow this line to the right it becomes the top horizontal edge of the model formed by many layers, namely, a single layer raw edge nearest the table; then the crease you made in Step 16, then a single layer raw edge, and another creased edge nearest the ceiling.
18. Take the folded edge that is now laying along the center of the model and flip it over and away from you so that it lays flat. The crease you made in Step 17 is now the top horizontal edge of the model.
Examine the model:
There is a small triangle that is sticking out of the top left edge of your model. The remaining portion of the model is smooth with a horizontal crease line running along the center of the shape and another horizontal crease line between the center line and the bottom edge of the figure.
The left end of the rectangle is pointed and made up of a short edge that slopes up and to the right, and a longer edge that slopes down and to the right.
19. Rotate the model 180-degrees so that the pointed end moves from the left to the right, and the straight short edge is now on the left.
20. Fold the top long edge down using the existing horizontal center crease line of the model.
21. Fold the bottom edge up to the new top edge.
22. Grasp the bottom, folded edge you have just created and flip it over and away from you until it lays flat. There should now be a small triangle sticking out from beneath the model on the top right pointing away from you, and a small triangle sticking out from beneath the model on the bottom right pointing towards you.
23. Rotate the model 90-degrees counterclockwise so the triangle is pointing away from you, and the short edge is at the bottom.
Examine the model:
The model looks like an arrow pointing away from you. There is a tall narrow rectangle with a triangular point at the top. There are 2 small triangles sticking out from under the rectangle with one pointing to the left and one pointing to the right. If you flip the model over like turning the page of a book you will find a large triangle at the top of the model with a narrow rectangle extending out of the bottom of the triangle. The rectangle has a vertical center seam that is made up of multiple layers. Return the model to the orientation described in Step 23 by again turning it like the pages in a book.
24. Pick up the point of the triangle and fold it towards you. You are forming a crease in the tall narrow rectangle along the bottom edge of the triangle. When you are done the point of the triangle will be pointing at you as it is lying flat on the vertical rectangle.
25. Turn the model over like flipping the pages of a book.
Examine the model:
Starting from the top you will find a vertical rectangle with a vertical seam where edges meet in the vertical center; the top edge of the rectangle is formed by a fold; the bottom edge of the rectangle is made up of several layers of raw edges; There is a horizontal crease going across the middle of the rectangle and sticking out of the rectangle at the top left and top right are small triangles.
26. Find the horizontal crease that goes across the middle of the rectangle. Pinch this crease to better define a mountain fold.
27. Bring the mountain fold you just defined with a pinch and line it up with the crease that forms the top edge of the rectangle. This will form a horizontal valley fold halfway between the top of the rectangle and the mountain fold you defined in Step 26.
Examine the model:
Starting from the top you will find a square with its top edge being the mountain fold you defined in Step 26, the bottom edge is made up of raw layers, and there is a center vertical seam; under the square is a multi-layer horizontal set of rectangles that form a fanfold; under the rectangles is a multi-layer triangle pointing at you with small triangle corners pointing to the left and right at the top of the model and a small triangle pointing to you at the bottom of the model.
Pay close attention to the square at the top layer of the model. The bottom edge of the square is made up of several raw edges. the top layer on each side of the vertical seam is made up of 2 layers of paper that you cannot separate but you can feel that the layer feels thicker than a single layer of paper; under the double thick layer you will find a single layer on each side that has an edge on the bottom and along the vertical seam, and finally there is a bottom layer that makes up the back of the square.
28. Fold the bottom edge of the square up so the raw edges meet the folded edge at the top of the square you created in the previous step, crease and unfold.
29. As you work this step you will be working with the top double thick layers on either side of the vertical seam and leaving the single layers alone. Open the vertical seam of the square by grasping the corners located at the bottom edge at the center vertical seam. Lift these corners up, out, and forward. I slide my thumbs under the layer and slide them up and then out to the sides. This forces the edge that was along the seam to now be lined up with the top edge of the square. The bottom edge of the square starts to lift up. Under your thumbs you should feel diagonal creases forming. The one on the left starts at the center of the top edge and slopes down to the left, and the crease on the right starts at the center of the top edge and slopes down and to the right.
30. I adjust my fingers so that my index fingers replace my thumbs, and my thumbs move to the outside of the flap that is standing up along the bottom edge of the model.
I use my thumbs to push the flap forward and lay it down on top of the diagonal creases made earlier. Slide your thumbs apart, moving to the sides as you make a crease on the edge closest to you. You should notice triangular pieces pointing to the left and right.
Your frog is ready to start jumping.
Identifying your frog’s head, nose, and feet:
• The 2 little triangles formed in the last step are the feet of your frog.
• The big triangle is the head of your frog.
• The point of the big triangle is the nose of your frog.
Making your frog jump:
• Position your frog so its feet are on the table, the triangle head is on top, and the frog’s nose is pointing away from you and the long edge of the triangle is towards you.
• Insert the tip of your index finger into the frog’s head under the top layer and press down to hold your frog on the table. If your finger is too big to fit inside the frog’s head, just place it on top of the triangular frog head.
• Use your other hand to steady your frog and keep it from jumping too soon.
• Slide your finger back toward you so that the pad of your fingertip is starting to hang off the back edge of the frog’s head if it is not already in that position.
• When you are ready for your frog to jump, remove the hand that is holding the frog steady, and with a backward and downward movement let your finger come out of your frog’s head. This will take some practice.
Notes for using business cards.
• Start with step 5.
• After Step 13 when you are examining your model, you will not find a vertical seam.
• When examining the model after completing Step 24, you will find the square on top of the model is only made up of 2-layers, and not the multiple layers as described.
• When examining your model after step 27, you will find that the square only has 2 layers and not multiple as described.
• In Step 29 when you are picking up the bottom corners of the layers that form the center vertical seam, you only have the 1-layer to work with.
Making Origami Accessible Through Text-Based Instructions
For non-commercial use only.
Compiled: April 2025
This text copyright 2025 by the author and by accessorigami.com
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