Cootie Catcher Maker
Make a custom paper fortune teller: type your own eight fortunes, print the folding template, fold it in a minute. Free, no sign-up — your fortunes never leave your browser.
The template updates as you type. Short fortunes read best — aim for about 25 characters (longer ones shrink automatically). Ideas: party dares, quiz questions, compliments, chores for the family version.
How to fold your cootie catcher
- Cut out the square along the solid outer line.
- Place it printed side down and fold all four corners into the center.
- Flip it over and fold the four corners into the center again — the numbers are now visible.
- Fold it in half so the corner labels face outward, then slide your thumbs and index fingers under the four outer flaps and push together.
How to play
A friend picks a corner label — spell it out while opening the catcher once per letter. They pick a visible number — count it out the same way. They pick a number once more, and this time you lift the flap and read the fortune hidden underneath.
Beyond fortunes: classroom and party ideas
Teachers hide vocabulary questions or math facts under the flaps — students play in pairs and quiz each other without noticing they're practicing. For birthday parties, write silly dares ("hop like a frog to the door"); for family evenings, mini chores or compliments. Replace the corner colors with animals or characters for younger kids who can't spell yet — anything with 3–8 letters works.
Choosing paper, and fixing a catcher that won't work
Use ordinary printer paper. Card stock seems like the sturdier choice but it is the single most common reason a cootie catcher won't open and close — the folds are too thick to pinch, and the four pockets stay splayed open. Thin paper folds crisply and the finished toy survives an afternoon fine.
If yours feels stiff or lopsided, the cause is almost always one of three things: the square wasn't cut square, so the corners don't meet in the middle; a fold was creased approximately rather than pressed flat, in which case run a thumbnail along every fold; or the second set of corner folds went to the wrong side, which leaves the numbers hidden. Fold and unfold the finished catcher a dozen times before using it — it loosens up and moves much more smoothly.
Writing fortunes people enjoy
Eight fortunes is not many, so make them do different jobs. A set that is entirely positive gets boring by the third go; a set that is entirely teasing stops being fun for whoever draws it. The mix that works is roughly five good outcomes, two absurd ones and one mild misfortune — the small risk of a bad result is exactly what makes players want another turn.
Keep each one under about ten words so it fits the flap and can be read aloud in one breath. Specific beats generic: "You will find money in an old coat" lands better than "Good luck is coming". For corner labels, short words with different letter counts work best, since the number of letters decides how many times the catcher opens — four labels of identical length make every turn play out the same way.
Other names for it
If you grew up calling this something else, you are not misremembering. It is a cootie catcher in most of the United States, a fortune teller or paper fortune teller in Britain and Australia, a chatterbox in parts of Australia and New Zealand, a salt cellar to origami folders, and a Himmel und Hölle in Germany. The fold is the same everywhere, and it has been passed hand to hand in playgrounds since at least the 1950s.
Can I save it as a PDF?
Yes — click Print / Save PDF and choose "Save as PDF". The template prints as a large square with light dashed fold guides.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The template is generated by JavaScript in your browser — your fortunes never leave your device.