How To Make a Cootie Catcher

Astound your friends with fortune telling!

Cootie catcher

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at fortune telling? With a little folding, cutting and labeling, your fortune telling ability will astound your friends and family.

You will need:

  1. Scissors
  2. 8 ½ x 11 piece of paper
  3. Pen
  4. Stickers (optional)

Create cootie catcher:

  1. Fold the piece of paper diagonally, by bringing the bottom of the sheet to the side, creating a triangle.
  2. Trim off the top flap, and open the triangle. You now have an 8.5”x 8.5” square.
  3. Fold the square diagonally to opposite corners, creating another triangle.
  4. When you open the paper, there are intersecting lines from one corner to the other corner.
  5. At each corner, fold the paper to the center point. It has now been reduced to a 6”x 6” square.
  6. Turn the paper over so folded sides are face down.
  7. Fold each corner to the center point, reducing it to a 4”x 4” square.
  8. Write numbers one through eight, one in each triangle.
  9. Turn the square over and write a word on each flap, such as animals (cat, dog, cow, and horse), or color (red, blue, green, yellow), or person (teacher, policeman, fireman, chef). Or, find four different stickers and attach one to each flap.
  10. Turn the square back over and open to the center. In each triangle, write a fortune or silly phrase (see below for suggestions).
  11. Fold these flaps back down, then re-crease the square in half, each way, and the flaps will appear.

Fortunes or silly phrases:


  • A black cat will bring you good luck today.
  • A milk mustache will make someone smile at you.
  • Don't horse around in school or else you will get bad grades.
  • Only pick up pennies that are “heads-up” for good luck.
  • Someone special will make cat-eyes at you today.
  • Never wake a sleeping dog.
  • Maybe yes or maybe no.
  • Exercise today and beef up your muscles.


  • You are a cutie pie.
  • You melt his/her heart.
  • Chill out, dude.
  • You are in a fog.
  • Kiss a frog today.
  • You rule.
  • Wish upon a star.
  • Wear a smiley face.


  • You will be a lawyer.
  • Work hard, play harder.
  • You will be a doctor.
  • Save your money.
  • You will be rich someday.
  • Read a book this week.
  • You will be successful.
  • Eat, drink and be merry.

How to play:

  1. Find a friend and ask them to pick an animal, color, person, or a sticker on one of the flaps.

  2. While spelling out the word they chose, move the flaps in and out and side to side in time with the letters.

  3. Open the cootie catcher to reveal four numbers. Ask them to pick one. While counting out the number, move the flaps in and out and side to side. Open the cootie catcher and ask them to pick another number, then repeat counting.

  4. This time ask them to pick a third number and reveal the answer written on the inside flap.

Now let your own imagination soar and write your own fortunes or silly phrases. Make two or three cootie catchers so your friends will never be able to guess their fortune. But remember, always be positive – everyone loves to hear something good!


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Hi Marion. This is the first time I have heard of a cootie catcher. I will certainy make it to use for some parties. I like your picture, too.

By Mary Norton