Pivotting Parrots

A collection of balancing models to cut out and make

These delightful balancing models are fun to make. Each parrot paper model pivots and settles on a single point: a quiet lesson in balance you can hold in your hand.

A paper craft collection with step-by-step instructions

Just follow the instructions step by step to make a fine collection which will attract attention wherever you display them. In practice, the instructions work like a step-by-step papercraft tutorial, so you cut, score and assemble one stage at a time.

The difference lies in the result. An origami parrot is folded from one uncut sheet, and a single printable template you download gives you one model. Here you get a set of balancing figures, each built as a working paper model.

From the cockatiel to the red parrot: what you can make

You can make

• The Cockatiel
• The Blue and Yellow Macaw
• The Scarlet Macaw, the red parrot of the set
• The Pair of Toucans
• The Trio of Butterflies

When finished, the models make a decorative display that moves: a shelf or classroom window gains birds that tip and recover when touched.

Design your own 3D parrot

Guidance on how to make your own is provided. A natural next step is to design a 3D parrot of your own and test where it must be weighted to balance.

This turns papercraft into hands-on reasoning about balance. Picture a child nudging a finished macaw and watching it swing back to rest.