Yippee, I at long last was able to catch a few kids and get them to sit down and learn to fold some simple origami birds, just in time to hang some around our house for this shabbat, which is called "shabbat shira" and in which we give thanks to the birds for some help they gave us, the Jewish people, more than a few years back when we were living in the dessert after our deliverance from Egypt!
I love origami birds, and have certainly made my fair share of origami crane decorations, but I was looking for something that my kids could do, and a bird that was just a little bit cuter than the traditional origami crane. I thumbed through one of my treasured origami books from childhood, and voila, here it is. A perfectly cute little origami bird that is simple enough for an eight year, and maybe even a patient six year old to fold. We've made a bunch and will hang them from out dining room chandelier. Smaller ones could be cute little cake or cupcake toppers, so go to town!
We used origami paper, but or course one can use any paper that is cut down to a square, including aluminum foil and baking paper if that's what you have on hand!
If you'd rather make pictures as opposed to hanging decorations, have the kids draw a tree or a setting for the bird, and then glue to birds to the background, lots of fun too, maybe even for another day! Come to think of it, I think we'll do that for Tu B'Shevat, with the birds perched on blooming branches, coming up quite soon too!
