Completed origami T. rex

You can create this origami T. rex by following the instructions below. It even has those famous tiny arms. © CICO BOOKS 

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How to make a T. rex origami dinosaur

Here's how to make your own charming origami Tyrannosaurus rex.

Tip: Fold a firm crease at the model's foot (step 18) so it stands up well.

You will need:

Two sheets of 15cm (6in) square paper

We have provided PDFs of the patterned paper featured in the images for you to print and cut out, but you can also use plain paper and decorate it at the end.

Flat sheets of patterned paper - one with eyes and one with feet

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Origami T. rex step one folds

Begin step one with the paper with the eyes pattern-side down © CICO BOOKS

1. Fold the paper with the eyes from corner to corner down the middle of the design, then open out and fold from side to side. Open again and fold the right-hand point across to the second crease line, making a new crease straight up to the top point.

Step two - ending up with an upside-down kite shape

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2. Fold over the left-hand side so that the two edges align, then fold the left-hand side over again, using the line where the two edges meet as the fold line.

Step three - folding the top point down so that it looks like a pentagon

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3. Fold the top point down so that it sits on top of the bottom point, making a horizontal fold.

Step four

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4. Fold the top flap up to the right so that the left-hand edge runs across the top of the piece, then turn the point down so that the top edge now runs down the central crease.

Step five

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5. Open out the two folds and repeat the previous step, but start by folding the bottom point up to the left.

Step six

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6. Open up the top flap, then fold the short diagonal edges in to meet along the central crease. Lift the right-hand flap, open it up and reverse the diagonal crease, pushing the fold of paper underneath the top flap.

Step seven

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7. Fold down the top point so that the tip sits on the crossing diagonal creases, then turn the tip back up to align with the top of the model.

Step eight

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8. Fold the model in half along its central crease.

Step 9

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9. Lift up the model and open it out, then reverse the diagonal creases at the right-hand end and carefully refold to create an angled neck. Pull down the end point and flatten at an angle to create the T. rex's mouth.

Did you know?

If humans had been alive at the same time as T. rex, it could have gobbled us up in just two mouthfuls. The dinosaur's powerful jaw and saw-edged teeth were ideal for crushing bone and piercing flesh.

Step 10

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10. Fold the loose paper at the other end inside the opposite flap to hold the body together.

Step 11 - working with the paper with the feet pattern

Now use the paper with the feet pattern. Start with the paper pattern-side up. © CICO BOOKS

11. Take the second sheet of paper and fold it in half both ways, then open it out and fold the bottom up to the central crease. Fold this flap in half by turning it back down to the bottom crease.

Step 12

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12. Turn the paper over and fold the bottom back up to the central crease, then fold the upper flap at the bottom of the paper over the central crease.

Step 13

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13. Fold in the sides so that they meet in the middle and then turn up the bottom corners of these new flaps, making diagonal creases with the bottom edges now running up the sides of the model.

Step 14

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14. Lift the main flap on each side opening out the smaller triangular flaps. Refold the main flaps, reversing the diagonal creases so the smaller flaps now point out over the sides of the model.

Step 15

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15. Fold down the top two corners so that the top edges now align down the center of the model to make two diagonal creases.

Step 16

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16. Lift the top corners of the model and push them inside, reversing the direction of the creases and refold so that the top of the model is now a single, central point.

Step 17

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17. Turn over the paper and fold down the upper flap from the top of the model. Next turn up the bottom edge so that it runs along the widest horizontal edge. Turn over the outside points using concertina folds.

Step 18

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18. Fold over the two flaps at the top of the model so that the vertical edges run horizontally. Fold over the outside diagonal edges of these new triangles so that they also run horizontally.

Step 19

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19. Lift the last flaps and open them out, then refold into the same shape while reversing the direction of the creases so that the flaps are on the outside. Turn these flaps up to the vertical.

Did you know?

T. rex had only two fingers on each hand.

Step 20 - the final step

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20. Fold the opened-out second sheet around the body of the dinosaur and tuck the front corners of the second sheet up inside the body to hold the two pieces of paper together.

The completed origami T. rex

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These origami instructions are from the book How to Make Paper Dinosaurs and are reproduced with kind permission of the authors Mari Ono and Hiroaki Takai and the publisher CICO BOOKS.