4 Origami Fidget Toys to Try: Spinners, Pop-Its, & More

Download Article

Keep your hands occupied and mind clear with these paper fidgets

Co-authored by Coco Sato and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: August 10, 2026 Fact Checked

Download Article

• Fidget Spinner
|
• Pop-It Cube
|
• Finger Trap
|
• Benefits of Origami Fidgets
|
• Video

|Show more |Show less

Fidget toys are great for helping you stay focused and calm, and making one out of origami is a grounding, rewarding process that’s easier than you think! In this article, we’ll show you how to make an origami fidget spinner, a pop-it cube, and finger traps to keep your hands busy and your mind sharp during lectures or video calls, with tips from origami experts. We’ll also explore the benefits of using fidget toys and why making them yourself is so relaxing!

Cool Origami Fidget Toy Ideas

Popular fidget toys you can make with origami paper include a classic spinner, a pop-it cube, a leaping frog, and finger traps. The act of folding paper fidget toys is a tactile experience that can help ground you, and playing with them during class or meetings can help you stay calm and focus on what you’re doing.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Making an Origami Fidget Spinner

Download Article

1. 1
   Begin with 2 sheets of square paper, preferably of different colors. If possible, use sheets that are colored on both sides. Origami expert Robert Homayoon says, “I like to teach myself with printer paper because I find that most people have that handy… You might need a pair of scissors just to kind of trim the edge off and make the paper square.” However, he says that real origami paper is good to use since it’s “designed for origami and has a thinner consistency.”

   • You will also need: Scissors, glue, a small piece of cardboard, and a thin craft dowel rod (or something similar, like a toothpick).

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Robert Homayoon is an origami expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009.

   Coco Sato is an origamist and contemporary artist specializing in origami and geometric sculptures. With a practice encompassing sculpture, performance, and geometry, she explores shifting perspectives through origami.
2. 2
   Fold the first paper in half top-to-bottom twice. Fold the top edge of the paper down to the bottom edge and press the crease. Then, fold the new top edge down to the bottom again and press the crease.

   • For crisp creases, origamist and contemporary artist Coco Sato recommends “using your fingertip or even your nail to go over the folds.”
   • There are also tools you can use, continues Sato, like a bone folder from stationery or craft shops. Other things you might have around the house, like a ruler or a non-sharp edge of a butter knife, can help make crisp folds as well.
   Advertisement
3. 3
   Rotate the paper so it’s vertical, then fold in half top-to-bottom. Rotate your folded paper so it looks like a tall, vertical rectangle. Then, fold the top (short) edge down to the bottom edge and press the crease.
4. 4
   Unfold the paper and rotate it longways. Undo the fold you just did, revealing a short center crease running across the rectangle. Then, rotate the paper so the rectangle is horizontal (longways) again.
5. 5
   Fold the top-right corner down along the center crease. Grab the top-right corner of the horizontal rectangle and fold it down on a diagonal. This will bring the top edge of the paper down so it aligns with the center crease.
6. 6
   Fold the bottom-left corner up along the center crease. Now, repeat the fold you just did going the opposite direction. Grab the bottom-left corner of the rectangle and bring it up on a diagonal so that the bottom edge lines up with the center crease. Press to flatten.
7. 7
   Repeat steps 2-4 with your second sheet of paper. Take your second sheet and fold it in half top-to-bottom twice, like you did with the first sheet. Turn it vertically, fold it in half top-to-bottom, then unfold.
8. 8
   Repeat steps 5-6 going the opposite way with your second paper. You’ll make the same type of folds again here, but going in the opposite directions. First, fold the bottom-right corner upward so the bottom edge aligns with the vertical center crease. Then, fold the top-left corner downward so the top edge aligns with the vertical center crease.

   • When you’re finished, your 2 sheets of paper will look like mirror reflections of each other.
9. 9
   Turn the first paper over and fold the square sections in half diagonally. Flip over your first paper—it should look like a parallelogram with 2 squares sticking out of the upper left and lower right edges. Start with the lower square and fold the bottom-right corner up at a diagonal, forming a triangle flap. Then, fold the top-left corner of the upper square down at a diagonal to make a triangle flap.
10. 10
    Repeat the previous step on your second sheet of paper. Flip over your second paper—it will look like a mirror reflection of the first sheet (a parallelogram with squares sticking out of the upper-right and lower-left edges). Fold the top-right corner of the upper square down at a diagonal to form a triangle flap, then repeat with the bottom-left corner of the lower square.
11. 11
    Lay the second sheet on top of the first sheet so they’re perpendicular. Lay your first sheet down horizontally (keeping the same face with the squares you just folded facing up). You’ll have a triangle pointing down on the left end of the paper, and a triangle pointing up on the right end.

    • Then, flip your second paper over so the side with the squares you just folded is facing down. Lay this paper on top of the first in a vertical position (you’ll have a triangle pointing to the left on top and a triangle pointing to the right on the bottom).
    • Once the papers are stacked, you’ll notice they form a pinwheel-like shape.
12. 12
    Fold the right point of the bottom sheet over at a diagonal and slide it inside the top sheet. Now, it’s time to join your fidget spinner pieces together! Fold the right point (triangular flap) of the bottom sheet along the existing diagonal edge. Instead of just folding it over the top sheet, slide the point underneath the open edge on top of the top sheet.
13. 13
    Repeat the previous step on the left side of the papers. Fold the left point of the bottom sheet (the triangular flap) up at a diagonal along the existing edge, then tuck that point underneath the open edge on the top of the top sheet.
14. 14
    Flip the papers over and repeat the previous 2 steps. Once your papers are flipped, your first sheet of paper will be on top of the second one. Fold both of the triangular flaps on the left and right end of the bottom sheet and slide the points underneath the open edges on top of the top sheet.

    • The points of your fidget spinner are now complete! Make sure the pieces fit together snugly and press the papers to flatten them.
15. 15
    Poke a hole through the center of the spinner. Use a pen, the tip of a utility knife, or another sharp, pokey object to make a hole in the exact center of the spinner (where the 4 points come together).
16. 16
    Stick a thin craft dowel rod through the hole. Your fidget will spin around whatever pole you place in the center, so make sure it fits well but isn’t so snug that your papers have trouble spinning. A very thin craft dowel rod (cut so that it’s no more than 2 inches (5 cm) long) works well.

    • If you don’t have a craft dowel, don’t worry! A toothpick, a straightened paper clip, or any short, very slim stick-like object will work.
17. 17
    Cut out 2 cardboard circles about the size of a penny. These circles will form the grips of your spinner. Trace a penny 2 times on a sheet of cardboard (any thickness you have will work), then cut out the circles with scissors.
18. 18
    Glue the cardboard circles to the ends of your dowel rod. Place a small dot of glue on one end of the dowel, then press a cardboard circle onto it to glue them together. Repeat on the other end. Your origami fidget spinner is now complete!

    • Wait a few minutes for the glue to set before using your spinner.
    • How to fidget: Hold the dowel rod between your thumb and pointer finger in one hand, then give your spinner a whirl with the other hand to see an entertaining whirlwind of color!
Advertisement

Section 2 of 4:

Making an Origami Pop-It Cube Fidget

Download Article

1. 1
   Lay your first paper on a flat surface and fold it in half vertically. For this fidget toy, you’ll need 3 sheets of square paper (preferably colored on both sides). To start, grab 1 sheet and lay it in front of you on a flat surface. Fold the left edge over to the right edge and crease, then unfold. You now have a vertical center crease running through your paper.
2. 2
   Fold the left and right edges into the center crease, then unfold. Now, fold your paper into fourths by bringing the left and right edges into the center crease, then pressing the new folds. Unfold your paper—it’s now split into four vertical rectangles.
3. 3
   Fold the top-left and bottom-right corners, then re-fold the left and right edges inward. Fold the top-left and bottom-right corners inward at a diagonal so that the corners meet the vertical folds from the previous step. Flatten the creases. Then, re-fold the left and right edges of the paper into the center crease.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Robert Homayoon

   Origami Expert

   Robert Homayoon is an Origami Expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009. His channel has a following of over 676,000 subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 211 million views. Robert uses his channel to highlight his passion for teaching people origami, crafts, and how to solve puzzles. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 2007 and earned his D.M.D degree from Temple University Dental School in 2013.

   

   Robert Homayoon
   Origami Expert

   Take your time to be as precise as possible. Practice your hand coordination skills, because [origami] does require precision and an artistic touch. It also takes practice. People won’t get things the first time a lot of times.
4. 4
   Fold the bottom-left and top-right corners over to the opposite edge. First, fold the bottom-left corner over to the right edge of the paper and press the crease (your fold should line up with the diagonal crease in the bottom-right corner). Then, repeat this fold and bring the top-right corner over to the left edge, aligning with the diagonally folded top-left corner. Press the crease.

   • Your paper now looks like a rhombus-like shape with vertical edges in the upper left and lower right.
5. 5
   Unfold the corners and tuck them underneath the top layer of paper. Undo the folds you made in the previous step. Lift up the bottom of the right flap (top layer only) and tuck the bottom-left corner underneath the paper. Then, repeat on the top—lift up the top of the left flap (to layer only) and tuck the upper-right corner underneath it.

   • Press the entire paper to flatten it and make the creases crisper.
6. 6
   Flip the paper over and bend the points inward to create a square. When you turn the paper over, you’ll notice that it looks like a square with triangular points sticking up and down out of it. Fold the top point down to the lower-left point of the square, and the bottom point up to the top-right point of the square. Press the creases.

   • You’ve now got a 2-layered square—a square on bottom and 2 triangular flaps on top.
7. 7
   Repeat steps 1-6 with your other sheets of paper. Repeat all of these folds 2 more times so that you have 3 folded sheets of paper total. Bonus points if they’re all different colors!
8. 8
   Join the first 2 pieces of paper together. Grab your first sheet of paper and look at the back—you’ll notice that it looks like 4 triangles with an open edge that meet at the center. Take your second sheet of paper and slide one of the triangular flaps underneath one of the open edges on the back of the first sheet. They should fit together snugly!
9. 9
   Join the third piece of paper with the second piece in the same way. Join the second and third pieces together just like you did in the last step. Take one triangular flap of the third piece and slide it underneath an open triangle edge on the back of the second piece of paper. Push it in snugly.
10. 10
    Continue sliding the pieces together until you’ve run out of triangular flaps. Keep sliding any free triangular flap underneath an open edge on the back of another piece until all of the triangular flaps have been used. The result will be a 3D shape that looks like something between a cube and a triangular pyramid.

    • Once all of the flaps and sides are joined, your pop-it is complete!
    • How to fidget: Hold the pop-it in your hand and press or collapse various sides and edges to form new shapes. The paper will bend and fold along the creases with a satisfying “pop” that’ll keep you fidgeting all afternoon!
Advertisement

Section 3 of 4:

Making an Origami Finger Trap Fidget

Download Article

1. 1
   Lay the paper face-up as a diamond and fold it in half diagonally twice. Begin with 1 square sheet of paper and lay it face-up on the table, then rotate it so that it looks like a diamond shape. Fold the top point down to the bottom point and crease, then unfold. Fold the left point to the right point and crease, then unfold.

   • You will also need: 1 sheet of paper for each finger trap you’d like to make, plus a pair of scissors.
   • Your finger traps will look more interesting if you choose paper with color on both sides!
2. 2
   Flip the paper over and fold it in half 2 more times. Turn the paper over so the back side is facing up. Fold the bottom-right edge over to the top-left edge and crease, then unfold. Next, fold the bottom-left edge over to the top-right edge, crease, and unfold.

   • Your paper now has 4 creases in it that intersect in the center.
3. 3
   Collapse the paper into a diamond shape with 2 layers. Pinch the center crease that runs from the left point to the right point of your paper to raise it, then bring the left and right sides of the crease together to begin collapsing the paper. Bring the top point down to the bottom point as you do so.

   • The result is a diamond shape of paper made of 2 layers of paper.
4. 4
   Fold the left and right corners of the top layer inward, then repeat on the back. Fold the left and right points of the diamond (top layer only) into the vertical central crease, then press the fold. The result looks like a kite shape, with 2 long triangle flaps on the bottom and a smaller triangle on top.

   • Flip the paper over and repeat the same fold on the back side.
5. 5
   Unfold the paper completely and cut the side creases. Unfold the entire sheet of paper, lay it face-down, and look at the creases. Find the creases at the midpoint of each edge (not the creases that go into the corners). Grab a pair of scissors and cut along these creases until you hit the point where they intersect with the diagonal kite-like creases you made in the last step. Do not cut past this point.

   • If you don’t have scissors, carefully tear the paper along the creases instead.
6. 6
   Fold the newly created triangular flaps inward to form a star shape. When you cut the paper in the last step, you formed 2 triangular flaps along each side of the paper. Fold these flaps inward over the existing creases so they come together to form 4 star-like points.

   • You should now have a square showing the back side of the paper in the center, with triangular points showing the front of the paper sticking out from each side.
7. 7
   Flip the paper over and bend the 4 points inward. Turn the paper over and fold each of the 4 points (top, bottom, left, and right) inward, almost like you’re forming a claw shape. Do not bring the points all the way to the center—fold them so you have almost enough room to place the tip of your finger between them.
8. 8
   Invert the bottom-right point, then repeat on the other 3 points. Pinch the left and right edges of the folded-over triangle point in the bottom right with the paper underneath, then press the center line running through the triangle tip downward to invert or flatten it.

   • Once you’ve successfully finished the bottom-right corner, repeat the same process on all of the other corners.
9. 9
   Pinch the diagonal center creases to raise them. Find the diagonal creases running through each triangle or “claw,” then pinch them to raise and shape them. As you do this, press the side-to-side and top-to-bottom creases downward to create a valley shape. Your finger trap is now complete and ready to grab!

   • How to fidget: Press the top middle point down with your finger tip to use the trap. The 4 triangular claws will spring forward and pinch your finger, making the whole sheet cling to you.
Advertisement

Section 4 of 4:

Benefits of Origami Fidget Toys

Download Article

1. 1
   Using your hands to fold the origami paper can be grounding in itself. Sato hopes that origami enthusiasts learn to “appreciate the tactile experience of folding paper. In today’s world, we’re so immersed in digital screens. I want people to take a break from that and engage with something physical. Folding and touching the paper can be soothing and help bring people into the present moment.”

   • Even if your fidget isn’t complete yet, the act of folding the paper and making something with your hands can keep you occupied, grounded, and focused.
2. 2
   Fidget toys can help you focus while you’re studying or in a meeting. “I’m a big fan of fidget toys and that form of self-stimulation,” explains licensed psychologist George Sachs, PsyD. “I recommend them for adults with autism and ADHD. Find the fidget toy that really works for [you], then [you] can use it while [you’re] on Zoom calls or interviews.”

   • Sensory development toy expert Liz Park agrees, adding, “Most of my customers are college students or just grown-ups in general who suffer anxiety… So, a lot of [fidgets] are used for therapy to help behavioral issues or ADD. It helps them relax when they watch TV or things like that. And my other customers, they actually play with it while they're studying.”
3. 3
   Fidgets can also help kinesthetic learners retain information when they read. Educational consultant Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed., says, “Fidgets are great for kinesthetic learners and folks with ADHD” because “those learners are going to be much more physically active.” He explains that when a student is reading while using a fidget toy, it’s going to “engage them to not only read physically but also make sure that their mind is engaged so that they can retain the information.”
Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Video

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!