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Origami Water Balloon

The origami water balloon (also called water bomb) is an easy to make, working toy. 

Start with a square of paper. 

Then make mountain and valley folds as if you were making a square base

The difference is that the mountain and valley folds are reversed when compared to the square base. 

 

Origami Water Balloon

square of origami paper, ready to fold            mountain and valley folds

 

Now start to collapse the pre-folded piece of paper. collapsing folded paper            further collapsing of folded paper

 

You will end up with the folded triangle shown below.  This piece occurs so often in origami that it has its own name, the balloon base (or water bomb base).   origami water balloon base

 

Now fold each of the four corners upwards as shown in the next three photos:one corner of balloon base folded upwardstwo corners of balloon base folded upwardsall four corners of balloon base folded upwards

 

Now fold the four horizontal corners into the center as shown:

horizontal corner folded into centerline        four horizontal corners folded into centerline

 

Use your finger to expand the little pocket as shown below.  You are going to tuck the flap into the pocket. 

However, the flap must first be folded in two to make it small enough for the pocket.pocket and flap to be tucked in          flap being folded to fit pocket

 

This sequence shows the flap folded, then tucked in.folded flap        flap tucked in

 

Now fold and tuck in the other three flaps.all four flaps tucked in

 

Finally expand the balloon as shown below.  First unfold the balloon partially, then blow gently into the hole at one end. 

At our school, we actually filled these with water for some recess hi-jinks...water balloon ready to be expanded        completed origami water balloon