60 drawings
Checked October 2026

Folding Surprise Drawing Ideas

Three fold-and-reveal drawings at a time: the closed picture, the open one and where the folds go.

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A get-well teddy that opens on a row of friends wavingPleat upright beside the teddy. Hidden: a line of toys holding one long banner.
A backpack that opens on what is really at the bottomDoors meet at the zipper. Inside: one book, and under it crumbs, a sock, a toy and a banana skin.
A calm sea that opens into a stormFlap down from the top. On it: flat water and a small boat. Under it: tall waves, rain, the boat on a crest.

Next step More things that change Birthday pictures for the card

All 60 drawings

Big mouths 12

A baby bird in a nest whose beak opens for a worm Pleat across the beak. Hidden: a wide diamond mouth and a worm dangling in from above.
A closed flytrap that opens round a worried fly Pleat across the trap. Hidden: the spiky rims pulled apart and a fly in the middle with wide eyes.
A dinosaur with shut jaws that opens on a tiny explorer Pleat across the jaw. Hidden: big blunt teeth and one small figure holding a flashlight.
A dog with a guilty look that opens to show the slipper Pleat across the muzzle. Hidden: the mouth stretched tall round one chewed slipper.
A frog with a shut smile that opens on a looping tongue and a fly Pleat across the smile. Hidden: a red mouth and a tongue that loops across the gap to a fly.
A lion that looks asleep until it roars Pleat across the muzzle. Hidden: four fangs, a tongue and the word ROAR in the gap.
A monster with a zipped mouth that opens to show what it ate Pleat across the zip. Hidden: a boot, a bicycle wheel, a fish bone and one sock.
A pelican with a shut bill that opens on a pouch full of fish Pleat across the bill. Hidden: the stretched pouch with three fish and a surprised crab.
A singing bird whose beak opens to let the notes out Pleat across the beak. Hidden: the inside of the open beak and a stream of music notes.
A sleepy crocodile that opens into a jaw full of teeth Pleat along the long mouth, sheet turned sideways. Hidden: zigzag teeth top and bottom and a bird standing inside.
A small fish that opens into a shark's mouth Pleat across the mouth line. Hidden: two rows of triangle teeth and a tiny fish swimming for it.
A yawning hippo whose mouth opens as wide as the page Pleat across the lips. Hidden: a pink cave, four peg teeth and a fat tongue.

Getting longer 12

A balloon on a short string that opens into one high over the rooftops Pleat across the string. Hidden: the string running down past birds, a kite and chimney tops.
A cat curled small that opens into a huge stretch Pleat upright through the middle. Hidden: the long arched back, the front paws far ahead.
A cat on two blocks that opens into a cat on a wobbling tower Pleat across, between the blocks. Hidden: a stack of lettered blocks leaning left and right.
A chameleon on a twig that opens on a tongue stretched to a far fly Pleat upright in front of its mouth. Hidden: the long straight tongue. The fly sits beyond the fold.
A giraffe's head on its shoulders that opens into a neck as tall as the page Pleat across the neck. Hidden: the long patched neck and a bird nesting halfway up.
A rocket on its pad that opens into a rocket above the clouds Pleat across, under the fins. Hidden: a long flame, then smoke and clouds down to the ground.
A short arm that opens into one long enough to reach the cookie jar Pleat upright through the arm. Hidden: the arm stretching across a kitchen to a jar on a shelf.
A short dog that opens into a very long sausage dog Pleat upright through the tummy. Hidden: a long body in a knitted coat with a row of buttons.
A snake's head and tail that open into loops of body Pleat upright between head and tail. Hidden: three big loops patterned with diamonds.
A two-bump caterpillar that opens into one with a shoe on every foot Pleat upright between the bumps. Hidden: a row of humps with a different shoe under each.
An elephant with a curled trunk that opens to spray water across the page Pleat upright in front of the trunk. Hidden: a long arc of water and the friend it soaks.
An engine and a caboose that open into a whole train Pleat upright between the two. Hidden: a row of freight cars, each carrying something odd.

What is inside 12

A backpack that opens on what is really at the bottom Doors meet at the zipper. Inside: one book, and under it crumbs, a sock, a toy and a banana skin.
A fridge that opens at midnight on somebody small eating The doors are the fridge doors, with handles. Inside: shelves of food and a small figure sitting on one.
A hill that opens on a rabbit warren Doors meet at the top of the hill. Inside: tunnels, a pantry of carrots and rabbits in bunk beds.
A lunchbox that opens on a picnic for mice Doors meet at the edge of the lid. Inside: a checked cloth, crumbs of cheese and four mice.
A pair of shutters that opens on the view from a window The doors are the shutters, with slats ruled across. Inside: the window frame and the best view you can think of.
A stage curtain that opens on the show The doors are the two curtains, with folds and a fringe. Inside: a stage, a spotlight and the performer.
A suitcase that opens on a vacation already packed Doors meet at the clasp. Inside: folded clothes, a snorkel, a sun hat and a stowaway cat.
A treasure chest that opens on gold and one crab on guard Pleat across, where the lid meets the box. Hidden: the inside of the raised lid, a heap of coins, a crab.
A wardrobe that opens on a monster trying on hats The doors are the wardrobe doors, a knob on each. Inside: a rail of hangers and a furry monster.
A whale that opens on everything in its belly Doors meet in the middle of the whale. Inside: a rowboat, a lamp, a table and someone reading.
A wrapped present that opens on what you hope is in it Doors meet at the ribbon. Inside: the gift, tissue paper flying, the bow split in two.
An egg that opens on a chick wearing the shell as a hat Doors meet down the middle of the egg. Inside: the chick, with half a shell pushed to each side.

Changes 12

A bare winter tree that opens into the same tree in blossom Flap down over the branches. On it: bare twigs and snow. Under it: the same twigs thick with flowers.
A calm sea that opens into a storm Flap down from the top. On it: flat water and a small boat. Under it: tall waves, rain, the boat on a crest.
A caterpillar on a leaf that opens into a butterfly Flap down over the leaf. On it: the caterpillar. Under it: wings spread wide in the same place.
A full dinner plate that opens into crumbs and a happy dog Flap down over the table. On it: the full plate. Under it: a clean plate and a dog licking its nose.
A plain pumpkin that opens into a carved lantern, lit Flap down over the pumpkin. On it: the plain pumpkin. Under it: eyes, a grin and a glow from inside.
A quiet volcano that opens into an eruption Flap down over the peak. On it: a cone with a wisp of smoke. Under it: lava, an ash cloud, flying rocks.
A rain cloud that opens into a rainbow Flap down from the top. On it: one gray cloud and rain. Under it: thin cloud and a whole rainbow.
A seed in the soil that opens into a flower in full bloom Flap down from the top. On it: empty air and a watering can. Under it: stem, leaves and bloom.
A snowman that opens into a puddle with a hat Flap down from the top. On it: the snowman. Under it: sun, a puddle, a hat, a carrot and two sticks.
A tadpole that opens into a frog on a lily pad Flap down over the pond. On it: one tadpole. Under it: a frog on a lily pad, mid-croak.
A tidy bedroom that opens into the same room after a sleepover Flap down over the room. On it: bed made, books straight. Under it: pillows everywhere, same window.
Day that opens into night over the same house Flap down from the top. On it: sun and blue sky. Under it: moon, stars and lit windows.

Cards for someone 12

A bear whose arms open to say this much The doors are the two arms, folded across the chest. Inside: the wide-open hug and the words THIS MUCH.
A birthday cake that opens into a cake three tiers taller Pleat across, between the tiers. Hidden: the extra tiers, each one iced a different way.
A closed flower that opens on a thank-you in the middle The doors are two big petals. Inside: more petals all round and your message in the center.
A front door that opens on a welcome home The doors are a double front door, a wreath split between them. Inside: a hallway, a banner, a wagging dog.
A get-well teddy that opens on a row of friends waving Pleat upright beside the teddy. Hidden: a line of toys holding one long banner.
A kangaroo whose pouch opens on a joey holding a card Flap folded up from the bottom edge as the pouch. Under it: the joey with a tiny card for your message.
A mailbox that opens on a letter with wings Doors meet at the mailbox door. Inside: your letter flying out, with the message written on it.
A penguin with flippers down that opens to hold up a sign The doors are the flippers, folded over its tummy. Inside: flippers flung wide and a sign that says HOORAY.
A sliver of sun over a hill that opens into a good-morning sunrise Flap down from the top. On it: hills and a sliver of sun. Under it: the whole sun, your words in its rays.
A small heart that opens into a heart as wide as the sheet Pleat upright through the heart. Hidden: the stretched middle, wide enough to write a message along.
A trophy cup that opens into a taller cup with a name on it Pleat across the stem. Hidden: a long engraved middle with the winner's name and what it is for.
Two cupped hands that open on a heart held between them The doors are the two hands. Inside: a heart, a bird or whatever you are giving.

How this list was compiled

Original list written for Draw This Next on 2026-10-11: 60 fold-and-reveal drawings in five groups of 12 (big mouths; getting longer; what is inside; changes; cards for someone), with an Easy mark on 17. Every title names the closed picture and the open one, and every hint opens with the fold and where it goes, then says what hides. Three folds are used. The pleat: fold the sheet in half, then fold the top layer back to the first crease, which tucks a band of the paper out of sight between the two parts that still show. The doors: with the sheet lying sideways, fold both short edges in to meet in the middle. The flap: fold the top third of the sheet down. The drawings and the hints are our own; each hint was worked out from the geometry of its fold. No outside fact is stated. Licence: own work

How it works

For each of these 60 folding surprise drawing ideas, fold a sheet, draw a small picture across the fold, then open it and draw what was hiding.

Read the full guide

The pleat hides a band

Fold the sheet in half, then fold the top layer back to the first crease. Draw the closed picture across the line where the two parts meet. Opened, the picture splits and a blank band appears between its halves: fill it with teeth, or a very long neck. Folds that run across make a picture taller; upright folds make it longer.

Doors and flaps

Doors: lay the sheet sideways, fold both short edges in to meet in the middle, draw across the two doors, then open them and draw what is inside. Flap: fold the top third down, draw on it, and lift it for the picture that changes.

Crease first, draw second. Run a fingernail along each fold so the lines meet again when it shuts.
Draw the closed picture in pencil, open the sheet, and carry on every line that reaches the fold before you ink.
Keep the closed picture plain. The surprise is bigger when the outside gives nothing away.

Questions and answers

How do you make a folding surprise drawing?

Fold part of the paper out of sight, draw a picture across the fold, then unfold it and fill the blank part with the surprise. The one to try first is a small fish that opens into a shark's mouth.

What are easy folding surprise drawings?

Easy marks 17 that need only simple shapes: a yawning hippo whose mouth opens as wide as the page, an egg that opens on a chick, a snowman that opens into a puddle with a hat.

What can I draw on a folding surprise card?

Cards for someone holds twelve: a bear whose arms open to say this much, a birthday cake that opens three tiers taller, and a small heart that opens as wide as the sheet, with room to write along it.