Few paper toys carry this much nostalgia. Fold a sheet into a boat, set it in the bath, and suddenly everyone — adults included — wants to blow gently on it and see how far it sails. What makes it such a keeper is how little it asks for: one rectangle of paper, no scissors, no glue, maybe two minutes.

The trick to a boat that actually holds its shape is patience with the early creases. Line up the edges carefully when you fold in half, because everything downstream — the rim, the diamond collapse, the final opening — leans on those first centre lines. Give it a go on ordinary printer paper first, then upgrade to something glossy like a magazine page and colour the underside with crayon if you want a longer voyage. And if it eventually gets soggy, well, that is an excuse to fold the next one.

If you've always wanted to play with boats in the tub but nobody would buy you one, don't worry. I'll show you how to fold an origami boat out of paper — and yes, it floats, at least for a little while, which makes it fun all the same. Handy tip: colouring the bottom of the boat with crayon helps waterproof it, so it stays afloat longer. Just try not to splash too much water on board!

The origami boat is actually very simple to make. All you need is a rectangular piece of paper, so any 8.5x11 copy or lined paper will do. Then follow the instructions and pictures carefully and you'll be able to make your own origami boat that floats.

STEP 1. Start with an 8.5x11 sheet of rectangular paper.

STEP 2. Fold the paper in half left to right, then unfold.

STEP 3. Fold it in half again, this time top to bottom, then unfold.

STEP 4. Fold the upper left and right corners to the middle.

STEP 5. Fold the bottom strip up.

STEP 6. Do the same to the strip on the other side.

STEP 7. Open the paper back out, then collapse it along the creases into a diamond shape.

STEP 8. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.

STEP 9. Turn the figure over.

STEP 10. Also fold this side's bottom corner to the top corner.

STEP 11. As before, open the paper back out and collapse it into a diamond shape.

STEP 12. Grab the top two corners and gently pull it apart, then flatten well.

STEP 13. Open out the sides of the boat and pinch the seams so it holds its shape — your paper boat is ready to sail. Bring it along next time you take a bath!