Paper Popper

A Letter sheet is folded in half lengthwise, the ends are folded into a “house” shape, and the house is folded in half — you get a flat triangular envelope with a pocket inside. You hold it by the free edge; a sharp swing, and the pocket flies out in a bell shape with a loud pop.

• Easy
• 1 Letter sheet
• 4 folds
• 0 glue or scissors

Make it with your phone cameraLesson code: 9957

On VanGami the template appears over your sheet through your phone camera — no printer needed. Trace it, cut, fold and glue. Below are all the steps in text.

What you’ll need

• Letter sheet — office paper, 80 gsm (20 lb)
• Markers
• Pencil — and eraser
• Ruler — 8–12 in
• Glass — phone stand

Steps

Mark

1. Orange: color the sheet (optional). The sheet is white. You can color it in this color all over before marking it out (that takes longer) — or leave it white: the craft will come out white.
2. Four lines. Draw four dashed lines with a ruler, edge to edge: one long, one short and two diagonal. All of them pass through the center of the sheet. Write a number by each one — that’s the order of the folds.
3. The word. The word “POP!” along the long edge is optional. It hides inside the pocket and shows up when the popper pops.

Color

4. With a marker. Go over the letters and rays with a black marker, a bit thicker.

Fold

5. Fold in half lengthwise. Flip the sheet so the lines face down and fold it in half along line 1: long edge to long edge. The lines stay on the outside. Crease the fold with your fingernail.
6. House. Flip the strip so the lettering faces down and the fold points away from you. Fold both ends toward you along the diagonal lines 3: the folded edge will lie along the middle line. You now have a house.
7. Fold in half, ends out. Flip the house over and fold it in half along the middle line 2: the folded-over ends stay on the outside, and the lettering hides inside. Crease all the folds.

Pop

8. How to hold. Hold the popper by the free edge of the flaps — the strip with no pocket inside: thumb on one side, index finger on the other. The pointed corner faces up. Don’t pinch the pocket with your fingers.
9. Swing. Raise your hand and swing it down sharply, as if shaking water off your fingers. The pocket shoots out — that’s the pop.
10. Again. Tuck the pocket back between the flaps and smooth it out — the popper is ready again.

Done. The popper is done. To pop it again, tuck the pocket back between the flaps.

Make it with your phone camera

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