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Paper Fortune Teller Making

Paper Fortune Teller Making

Min number of participants 1
Age 8+ yrs.
Safety support by adult Not required
Min duration 15 min.
Cost None (Free)
Environment Indoor / Outdoor

Fold a square of paper into a classic cootie catcher, write silly or spooky fortunes inside, then use it to predict the future for yourself or friends — a nostalgic paper craft that's still fun today.

The Essentials

Steps

  • Start with a perfectly square sheet of paper, since even a slightly rectangular sheet throws off every fold that follows and prevents the final shape from closing properly.
  • Fold all four corners into the center to form a smaller square, then flip the paper over and fold all four corners into the center again, since skipping this double-folding step is what keeps the fortune teller from opening and closing smoothly.
  • Write numbers or colors on the outer flaps and fortunes or messages under the inner flaps only after both rounds of corner-folding are complete, since writing too early makes it hard to align the flaps correctly as you keep folding.
  • Fold the paper in half twice more (once each direction) to create the finger pockets, since these final creases are what let you slide your thumbs and fingers in to operate the fortune teller.

Tips

  • Crease every fold firmly with your fingernail before moving to the next step, since soft, incomplete creases make the final piece flimsy and hard to manipulate smoothly.
  • Practice opening and closing the fortune teller in both directions (side-to-side and up-and-down) before using it, since it needs to move freely in both directions to reveal all the numbered flaps correctly.
  • Use slightly heavier paper than standard printer paper if you plan to reuse the fortune teller many times, since repeated folding wears out thin paper quickly at the crease lines.
  • Double-check that opposite numbers or colors don't accidentally match before finalizing your design, since a fortune teller with duplicate visible options feels less surprising when played.
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