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How to Make a Paper Fortune Teller

completed paper fortune teller or cootie catcher

Learn how to fold this classic paper fortune teller game and fill it with hidden messages for your friends.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO FOLD A PAPER FORTUNE TELLER

  • 8 ½-by-11-inch piece of construction paper cut into a square
  • Markers

HOW TO CUT A PERFECT SQUARE

If you don’t have a square piece of paper, here an easy way to cut an 8 1/2-by-11-inch piece of paper into a square.

WHAT YOU’LL DO TO MAKE A PAPER FORTUNE TELLER

STEP 1: Crease a square piece of paper diagonally from each corner. Fold the top right corner to touch the bottom left corner. Crease the fold with your finger and then unfold it so your sheet is flat again. Then take the top left corner and fold it over to the bottom right corner.

step 1 crease the paper

STEP 2: Fold the paper in half from each side. Bring the top edge of the paper to the bottom edge and crease the fold.

step 2

Unfold the paper so it’s flat again and rotate it by 90 degrees. Fold the new top edge of the paper to the bottom to crease it and then flatten it out again. Your paper will have four lines intersecting in the middle.

step 3 for paper fortune teller

STEP 3: Bring the corners to the center of the paper. Start with one of the bottom corners and fold it to the middle of the paper where the creases intersect.

Press down on the fold with a fingernail so it stays in place.

Turn your paper 90 degrees and fold the other bottom corner toward the center. Keep rotating and folding your paper until you’ve made a smaller square containing four triangles.

Flip the paper over and fold each corner to the center again.

STEP 4: Put numbers in ascending order on the triangles. Start with the No. 1 in the smaller top left triangle on the fortune teller. Write the numbers in ascending order clockwise around the triangles until you get to eight.

Then pick four colors to write on the front side of the fortune teller.

STEP 5: Write the fortunes underneath the flaps. Open up the triangles labeled 1 and 2, and write a short fortune underneath each number. Write small so it fits in the space. Repeat the process under the flap for each number so you have eight different fortunes in all. Close the flaps once you’ve written all the fortunes.

Fortunes you can write:

  • “Something amazing is coming your way tomorrow.”
  • “You will live a very long and happy life.”
  • “Do a Good Turn today!”

STEP 6: Slide your fingers underneath the squares to operate the fortune teller. Ask a friend to choose a color and spell it out.

Then pick a number and count it out. As you do so, move your fingers with each letter and number called out.

Last, have them pick another number to reveal their fortune. Lift the flap for the number they picked. Read your friend’s fortune out loud.

77 Comments on How to Make a Paper Fortune Teller

  1. wildviolets // July 17, 2023 at 5:16 pm // Reply

    We used to make these in grade school, had so much fun thinking up things to say. Hours and hours of play fun! My grand kids loved it- so easy the 4 yr.old made one!

  2. Sorry I did it wrong 😑 it’s super easy 😌😉

  3. Hard time. I don’t know what is 90 degrees. Be more specific whoever made this.🥸😎🥸🥸🥸🥸🥸😎🤭

  4. Thanks this really helped
    7/10 parts didnt make sense

  5. I dont know

  6. These are fun to make! 🙂

  7. It so hard to do!!

  8. FGteEv Duddz // June 5, 2023 at 9:17 am // Reply

    HOW DO YOU DO GOOOOO?!!!!!!

  9. Anonymous // May 16, 2023 at 1:23 am // Reply

    It dos’ent teach you anything

  10. Anonymous // May 15, 2023 at 2:17 pm // Reply

    I don’t know how to do it

  11. It’s so easy and easy to do

  12. It’s easy I did one on my own with no help its my own one.

  13. I don’t get it!

  14. I don’t get it!!

  15. Bro this is hard I can’t do it

  16. This was easy, just gotta look at the pics and read the directions! Great idea!

  17. mckymouse!!!!!!!!!#LOVE // April 2, 2023 at 3:18 pm // Reply

    I don’t want to be rude,but this was hard

  18. it was easy

  19. it was easy

  20. gvrfgvjfdtghvh // February 18, 2023 at 8:29 am // Reply

    this is the worst i could not follow the instructions it is so hard

  21. Bro this is so hard.

  22. hello! it did not work for me so can u give me a tip?

  23. Way too hard I think you should do a video instructions are to complicated!

  24. i cant do it it’s imposible!

  25. Terrible instructions

  26. EZ I LOVE IT

  27. this was a pretty easy thing to do.

  28. How did you do that it’s so cool😃

  29. I was fun and easy

  30. I loved making a fortune teller.

  31. its really easy and i made some funny words inside the flap🤣

  32. your worst nightmare // December 6, 2022 at 11:49 am // Reply

    its sooo helpfull ty

    • These instructions make no sense 😭
      I tried to make one and mine came out looking like a dinasoar that’s just eaten hotsause🤬😖😶‍🌫️

  33. It is so hard how do you do it

  34. 🤭 it seems hard but its easy 😱

  35. I tried making a puppet out of paper the other day, but I failed. I found this fortune teller and was like, BOOM!

  36. I can’t do it

  37. I dint get it

  38. The fortune tellers are really hard to make for me.

  39. This was very helpful

  40. So easy my six year old did it. Thanks!

  41. I loved it,it was amazing although,I couldn’t put my fingers in it.
    Please tell me how to put them in.
    But all in all it was amazing, keep up the good work 👍.

  42. Amazing and fun to make!!!!!! Thanksssssss!!!

  43. The kids are it! // September 27, 2022 at 11:58 am // Reply

    Thank you! So easy my 5 yr followed along without hesitation! Appreciate it!

  44. KawaiiKunicorn // September 20, 2022 at 12:05 pm // Reply

    It was really helpful and now I can trick my friends.

  45. i cant make it oj oj

  46. This ”helping” guide to make a fortune teller was horiable, I couldn’t make anything! To confusing.

  47. This Dude Said: // August 29, 2022 at 3:00 pm // Reply

    Very easy to make, and fun! Love it.

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