Resources and FAQ

Since origami is one of my favorite activities to keep my own hands busy, it was only natural to share it with kids. Origami is challenging and requires the kind of focus that kids with BFRBs can benefit from. It’s no accident that I chose something difficult- learning this skill builds confidence and puts your child’s brilliant hands to work!

Community is key to reducing the shame that many children feel about their picking or pulling. Not only does your child get to spend time with their peers, they soon learn that there are other kids who can relate and they learn coping skills from each other.

Yes and No. Make sure they are logged in and that the computer is working. Once the club meeting is started it is actually best if parents step aside and let their child have the group experience. If they run into challenges with the folds, I will be there to support them, and so will the club members. They might even get frustrated, and that’s okay, we can work to get through challenges together.

Yes, please complete my scholarship application. It is important to me that all children who could benefit from the clubs are able to!

Origami Story Clubs are designed for children to participate in independently. That said, parents are always welcome to observe the group from a distance that allows their child to participate without distraction or input. If you’d like to sign up for a one time parent child, that is always an option (INSERT LINK HERE)

No- if you and your child both consider this a challenge that is enough to participate.

Any paper cut into precise squares will work including multi-purpose copy paper, wrapping paper, newspaper, magazine paper or maps! Six inches is a fairly standard size. You can buy origami paper at a craft store or online. I’ve found the following two companies to have reasonable prices and quality paper; Tuttle Publishing has great books and papers and Taro’s Origami Studio has great paper. Since lots of our time is spent decorating our creations please make sure they have markers or colored pencils. Scissors are handy too.

We start with a silly check in. “If you could be any animal for one day, what animal would you want to be?”

We do a quick show and tell of what every club member is going to do to keep their hands busy while I read our story.

We listen to a story from my beloved story book collection. Each book beautifully weaves in origami or BFRBs or both!

We fold! Each week we fold a new model building on the skills from the week before.

We decorate! It’s so much fun to decorate what we’ve created and then introduce the creations to each other.

We celebrate our time together by ending with a dance party. After so much fine motor focus it’s time to dance and wiggle and let our whole bodies move!

After each club:

You receive a summary email describing what we did together including a printable diagram of what we folded.Item description

Origami Story Club is not a therapy group. That said, it is designed in a way that creates a safe and playful space for peers which makes it an environment of wellness and empowerment.

Ideally your child with a BFRB can join a club and learn with other peers who have a similar experience. That said, a private Origami Story Club could be a fantastic opportunity for siblings to have fun together! Please inquire about private clubs.