Fortune Teller Template
Make a paper fortune teller (a cootie catcher) with your own words. Type the four colour words for the outside, the eight numbers and the eight messages under the flaps, and see the template change as you type. Start from kids’ fun (silly actions and kind words), get-to-know-you questions, or a blank template to write on by hand, and shuffle the messages if you like. Every message is turned so it reads the right way up when its flap is lifted, the colour words read upright when the points face up, and the dashed fold lines and folding steps are printed with the square. Print one large square, one medium square or two per page on US Letter or A4. Download a PDF or a 300 DPI PNG. Nothing is uploaded.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Everything runs in your browser; your words are never uploaded.
Print at 100% (Actual size), cut on the solid line and fold on the dashed lines. Plain printer paper folds best.
Template
Colours (the outside)
Numbers
Messages (under the flaps)
Runs in your browser with our own code: everything you type is read on your device and never uploaded, and nothing is saved. Print at 100% (Actual size). You may use what you make here, including commercially, with no credit needed.
How to make a paper fortune teller
- Choose a starting point: kids’ fun, questions or blank.
- Type the four colour words, the eight numbers and the eight messages; the preview updates as you type.
- Choose US Letter or A4 and a size, and a font if you like.
- Download the PDF and print at 100% (Actual size).
- Cut on the solid line, fold on the dashed lines and follow the folding steps under the square.
What you can use it for
- A party or sleepover game
- Classroom review questions, one under each flap
- Get-to-know-you questions for a new group
- Kind words and compliments to give away
- Chore or activity picker for a rainy day
- A blank template to colour and write on by hand
Fortune teller sizes
| Size | On US Letter | On A4 | Per page | Folded size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large | 8 in (203.2 mm) | 200 mm | 1 | 4 in / 100 mm |
| Medium | 6 in (152.4 mm) | 150 mm | 1 | 3 in / 75 mm |
| Two per page | 5 in (127 mm) | 135 mm | 2 | 2.5 in / 67.5 mm |
The finished fortune teller is a square half the width of the printed one.
What each part of the square does
| Part | Where it is on the sheet | Where it ends up |
|---|---|---|
| 4 colour words | The four corner squares | On the outside: the four points you hold |
| 8 numbers | The triangles along the edges | On the flaps you see when you open it |
| 8 messages | The triangles around the centre | Under the flaps, read when a flap is lifted |
Lines on the template
| Line | Style | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Cut line | Solid | 1 square |
| Grid folds | Dashed | 6 |
| Diagonal folds | Dashed | 2 |
| Corner-to-centre folds | Dashed | 4 |
Every dashed line is a crease you make while folding, so pressing each one firmly makes the fortune teller open and close smoothly.
How to play
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | The player picks one of the four colours |
| 2 | Spell the colour, opening and closing once per letter |
| 3 | The player picks a number they can see; count it out the same way |
| 4 | The player picks a number again; lift that flap |
| 5 | Read the message under the flap |
What to write inside
| Idea | Example messages |
|---|---|
| Silly actions | Do your best robot dance. Hop on one foot five times. |
| Kind words | You are a great friend. You have a brilliant laugh. |
| Questions | What always makes you laugh? Where would you love to travel? |
| Classroom review | Name three shapes with four sides. Spell a word that rhymes with cat. |
| Chores and choices | Water the plants. Pick tonight’s board game. |
Want more paper toys? Fold a gift box with the Box Template, fly the Paper Airplane Template, cut a Paper Snowflake Template or make a Paper Crown Template for the winner.
Printing tips
- Print at 100% (Actual size) so the square is truly square.
- Plain printer paper folds best; thick card is hard to fold into the points.
- Crease every dashed line firmly before you shape the fortune teller.
- Choose the blank template to write and colour by hand.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you make a paper fortune teller?
Cut out the square, lay it printed side down and fold each corner to the centre. Turn it over and fold the new corners to the centre again. Fold it in half both ways and open it, then slide your thumbs and first fingers under the four colour squares and push the points together. The steps are printed under the square.
How do you play with a fortune teller?
Hold it closed and ask a player to pick a colour. Spell the colour, opening and closing the fortune teller once for each letter. They pick one of the numbers they can see, and you count it out the same way. Then they pick a number again, you lift that flap and read the message underneath.
What do you write inside a fortune teller?
Anything short and fun: silly actions, compliments, questions to answer, jokes, chores or review questions for class. Short messages print larger; each one fits a small triangle, so about 3 to 8 words works best.
Where do the colours, numbers and messages go?
The four colours go on the corner squares, which end up on the outside. The eight numbers go on the triangles along the edges, which become the flaps you see inside. The eight messages go on the triangles in the middle, under the flaps.
Why are some words upside down on the template?
So they read the right way up once folded. The template follows the folds through: each message reads upright when you lift its flap from the outer edge, and each colour word reads upright on the outside when the points face up.
What size should a fortune teller be?
The large template is 8 in square on Letter (200 mm on A4) and folds to a 4 in (100 mm) square, which fits most hands. The medium size is 6 in or 150 mm, and two per page makes two 5 in or 135 mm squares.
What is another name for a fortune teller?
Paper fortune tellers are also called cootie catchers or chatterboxes. They are all the same folded paper toy.
Does it really tell fortunes?
No. It is a paper game: the messages are whatever you type, chosen by the colours and numbers the player picks.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit beyond the size of one batch.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything you type is read by JavaScript in your browser and never leaves your device. Only the free fonts load from a public font CDN, and nothing is saved when you close the page.