Welcome To Nana's

  • All Crafts
  • Arts & Crafts
    • Drawing
    • Painting
    • Sewing
    • Paper craft
    • Nature
    • Recycled
    • Coloring Book
    • 3-D Project
  • Activities
    • Indoor
    • Outdoor
    • Science
    • Trip Activities
    • Recipes
  • Holiday
    • Christmas
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Father's Day
    • Flag Day
    • May Day
    • Midsummers Day
    • Mother's Day
    • New Years
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Crafts
  • Arts & Crafts
    • Drawing
    • Painting
    • Sewing
    • Paper craft
    • Nature
    • Recycled
    • Coloring Book
    • 3-D Project
  • Activities
    • Indoor
    • Outdoor
    • Science
    • Trip Activities
    • Recipes
  • Holiday
    • Christmas
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Father's Day
    • Flag Day
    • May Day
    • Midsummers Day
    • Mother's Day
    • New Years
  • About
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Crafts
  • Arts & Crafts
    • Drawing
    • Painting
    • Sewing
    • Paper craft
    • Nature
    • Recycled
    • Coloring Book
    • 3-D Project
  • Activities
    • Indoor
    • Outdoor
    • Science
    • Trip Activities
    • Recipes
  • Holiday
    • Christmas
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Father's Day
    • Flag Day
    • May Day
    • Midsummers Day
    • Mother's Day
    • New Years
  • About
×
Home » All Posts

How to Make a Paper Airplane

Published: Aug 21, 2022 · Modified: Feb 8, 2023 by Shelly · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

Three finished airplanes sit on a blue tarp with a hole cut out of it with the number 5 written in black paint.

How to Make the BEST Paper Airplane

Do you want to know How to Make a Paper Airplane? My friend Daniel claims this origami plane is the best paper airplane, designed to fly better! You be the judge.

A pink paper airplane soars through a tarp with different sized holes cut out of it, hung up on a metal structure outside.

From a Flying Family

I’m from a flying family. Airplanes. Not trapezes. There are at least 8 pilots amongst my siblings and their children. My dad would bring that number up to 9. Two more work in airplane related industries. 

At family gatherings they are always talking about airplanes and drawing pictures of airplanes. We attended many air shows.

A hand showing individual folds instructing how to make a paper airplane out of green paper. Two finished planes sit next to it on a black and pink polka dotted background.

National Aviation Day- Celebrate!

This week is National Aviation Day (August 19th). Who knew? It celebrates the development of aviation and is on Orville Wright's birthday. I wanted to do something in a post that had to do with flying.

Well, I can’t fly an airplane (although I have gotten to take the controls a couple times) but I can MAKE a PAPER airplane. And so can you! Let’s do it for all those pilots out there!

Watch a video on How to Make a Paper Airplane

YouTube video

What paper do I use to Make an Origami Plane?

So technically, this is making an origami plane. It is folding paper.

Supplies for this craft are super easy- paper. I used 8.5x11 inch copy paper in fun colors to show you how to make a paper airplane. I’d be curious to test different types and sizes of paper at some point. Let me know the results if you do.

A hand showing individual folds instructing how to make a paper airplane out of green paper. Two finished planes sit next to it on a black and pink polka dotted background.

How do you fold a paper airplane?

The directions are written out in a list and the video goes in the same step by step process. You can watch the video and stop at each step to complete your own paper airplane. Go for it!!

  • Fold your paper hotdog style (the long way- for those of you who have been out of school for a while)
  • Fold the two bottom corners up onto the center line
  • Fold the pointed end up to the center line
  • Fold the two bottom corners up to touch the center line- BUT- ¾ inch from the pointed end (this leaves a triangle point at the top and a blunt end at the bottom)
  • Fold the small, pointed triangle piece down over the two flaps
  • Fold each side into the center line
  • Turn the paper over and fold in half
  • Lift the flaps and you are ready to fly!!
A hand showing individual folds instructing how to make a paper airplane out of green paper. Two finished planes sit next to it on a black and pink polka dotted background.

Have a paper airplane competition!

Make a few of these awesome paper airplanes and challenge someone to a competition. 

Make your own targets or make this great target with instructions found on Welcome To Nanas by clicking the following link: Amazing Paper Airplane Competition. All it takes is a plastic tablecloth, a permanent marker and a scissors. 

A hand showing individual folds instructing how to make a paper airplane out of green paper. Two finished planes sit next to it on a black and pink polka dotted background.

National Aviation Day Craft- How to Make a Paper Airplane

Celebrate National Aviation Day and Learn How to Fold a Paper Airplane. Who knows, it may inspire you or a young person in your life to become a pilot!! 

More crafts that fly:

Here is another craft to make that flies! You can make a kite. Here are instructions from Welcome to Nanas on how to Make Your Own Diamond Shaped Kite- Click Here.

A hand showing individual folds instructing how to make a paper airplane out of green paper. Two finished planes sit next to it on a black and pink polka dotted background.

Enjoy!

If you try this craft, let me know! Go ahead and leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo with #WelcometoNanas wherever you post.

Come join the fun at https://welcometonanas.com

A hand showing individual folds instructing how to make a paper airplane out of green paper. Two finished planes sit next to it on a black and pink polka dotted background.
A hand showing individual folds instructing how to make a paper airplane out of green paper. Two finished planes sit next to it on a black and pink polka dotted background.

How to Make a Paper Airplane

Shelly
Want to know How to Make a Paper Airplane? This origami plane is said to make the best airplane just using copy paper. You be the judge!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Type Art Project
Cuisine Art Project

Equipment

  • none needed

Items Required
  

  • 8.5x11 inch paper in white
  • OR 8.5x11 inch paper in colors

Instructions
 

  • Fold your paper hotdog style (the long way- for those of you who have been out of school for a while)
  • Fold the two bottom corners up onto the center line
  • Fold the pointed end up to the center line
  • Fold the two bottom corners up to touch the center line- BUT- ¾ inch from the pointed end (this leaves a triangle point at the top and a blunt end at the bottom)
  • Fold the small, pointed triangle piece down over the two flaps
  • Fold each side into the center line
  • Turn the paper over and fold in half
  • Lift the flaps and you are ready to fly!!
  • Make several planes and have a competition! Make your own targets or make this great target with instructions found on Welcome To Nanas by clicking the following link: Amazing Paper Airplane Competition. 

Video

YouTube video
Keyword how to fold a paper airplane, how to make a paper airplane, how to make the best paper airplane, origami plane

Supplies:

  • 8.5x11 inch paper in white
  • OR 8.5x11 inch paper in colors

More All Posts

  • A salt shaker full of button flowers with a ribbon tied around it against a blue background.
    Cute DIY Button Flowers in a Salt Shaker
  • Person holding a completed mini hot air balloon craft against a blue background.
    Fun Flying Miniature Hot Air Balloon Craft
  • A police car, tractor and yellow Beetle toy cars sitting on a Father's Day T-Shirt painted with a dirt road leading to various buildings.
    DIY Father’s Day T-shirt Map and Massage!
  • Person showing a Father's Day card with red flowers and a windmill against a sunset with type saying "Happy Father's Day"
    A Kind Word Magazine Collage Card for Father’s Day

Comments

  1. Laura says

    February 24, 2025 at 4:38 pm

    5 stars
    This would be a great game for a rainy day

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello there! I'm Shelly (Nana), an artist, previously homeschooling mother of 3, and now proud grandma (Nana) of 6. I love sharing artistically inspiring, hands-on crafts for kids of all ages. Let's go have some fun!

More about me →

Popular Crafts

  • Hand squeezing the a completed batch of light blue fluffy slime.
    How to Make the Best Fluffy Slime Recipe for Kids
  • Completed colorful tissue paper flowers, a purple and pink one resting on a glass cake stand with others underneath.
    How to Make Easy DIY Giant Tissue Paper Flowers (2 Ways!)
  • Overhead views of two different sprouts growing in glass containers.
    How to Grow a Tree from a Pine Cone
  • A sunset picture created with sharpies and alcohol on canvas, surrounded by bright sharpie markers..
    Cool Sharpie and Alcohol Painting on Canvas

Footer

↑ back to top

Privacy Policy

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Brunch Pro on the Feast Plugin