There's something satisfying about a fold you can finish before your tea goes cold, and this little whale is exactly that — nine steps from a plain square to a pudgy, friendly sea creature. It's the kind of model that's perfect for a quick craft break, a classroom warm-up, or handing to a kid who wants to "make a whale!" right now. Grab any square of paper (blue is the obvious choice, but a two-tone sheet gives it character) and let's see how few moves it really takes to get something that clearly says whale.

STEP 1

Fold it in half and make a crease.

STEP 2

Fold it at the position shown in the photo.

STEP 3

Turn it over so it matches the position shown in the photo.

STEP 4

Turn it over, open it as shown in the picture, and fold it.

STEP 5

Fold one flap up toward the top.

STEP 6

Fold it in half.

STEP 7

Make a crease at the position shown in the photo.

STEP 8

Open and fold as shown in the picture.

STEP 9

Fold it at the position shown in the photo.

Completion!

The whale is complete.