How to Make a Paper Boat That Actually Floats

Learn how to fold a sturdy paper boat that stays afloat in your sink or bathtub using simple origami techniques. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Fold the paper in half. Lay your paper flat. Fold it in half from top to bottom, making sure the corners line up perfectly. Press your fingernail along the crease to make it nice and sharp.
2. Create the peak. Fold the paper in half again, but only just enough to make a small crease in the middle. Open it back up. Take the top two corners and fold them down to the center crease, forming a triangle shape at the top.
3. Fold up the edges. You will see two flaps of paper at the bottom. Fold the top flap up over the triangle, then flip the paper over and do the same with the other flap. It should look like a little hat now.
4. Open and flatten. Put your fingers inside the middle of the 'hat' and pull it apart until it turns into a diamond shape. Flatten it down carefully.
5. Shape your boat. Fold the bottom corners of the diamond up to the top point on both sides. Pull the middle apart again to form a smaller diamond. Finally, pull the two top flaps outward gently to reveal your boat shape.