Fun with Paper Fortune Tellers
Remember those folded paper fortune tellers you used to play with as a child? Guess what? They’re still awesome!
My son and I were coloring the other day when I found these awesome squares of paper and remembered how much fun it was to make these when I was little.
What you need:
- 1 square piece of paper, any size. (The thicker the paper, the longer it will hold up but the harder it will be for little hands to maneuver.)
- Markers/crayons/colored pencils
- Instructions:
Start with your square.
Fold one corner up to meet the opposite corner, unfold. Repeat with the other corner, unfold. You should have a square with two diagonal folds crossing in the middle.
Fold one corner in to the central point, then the opposite corner.
Repeat with the remaining corners. You should now have a square.
Flip the square over, and again fold each corner in to the central point.
Fold the square in half one way, then unfold. Fold in half the other way, unfold.
Pull the pointed ends together, and tuck your fingers under the flaps.
Using your marker/crayons/colored pencils, write a color on each of the four outside finger flaps.
Traditionally, the next step would be to write numbers on the inner folds. Numbers are fun for kids learning counting and number recognition. I decided to be a bit more creative and drew pictures, familiar things and shapes. If I had space I might spell them out on each spot, but I didn’t. This is fun because my son can help me spell. You will hear awesome comments about your drawings. (“Aww, Mom, the puppy is so cute! I just can’t resist puppies!”)
Open the fortune teller all the way. You will have eight small triangles on which to write your fortunes. Kids can help with the fortunes, or you can use pure parent-generated for surprise when you’re doing the telling.
Some of my favorite fortunes are:
- Service to many leads to greatness.
- Be kind to all the spiders (or bugs or worms or whatever) you meet… or else.
- You will soon unearth a buried treasure.
- A new friend is in your future.
- Pick your friends wisely…. Pick your nose in private.
- Embrace your inner sasquatch.
- Take time to splash in puddles.
Now it’s time to tell some fortunes! Put the fortune teller over your hands. Have the person pick a color from the outside. Spell it out, opening and closing the points with each letter as you spell. Repeat the same process with the pictures or numbers on the inside. The person will pick from the inner pictures three times, the third time being the flap that is their fortune.
I love these because they’re easy to make, small and portable. I have two in my purse at this writing. You can pull them out in a waiting room with kids and keep them entertained without having to be plugged in. They’re great for practicing colors, spelling and numbers. I’ve also been known to pull them out in grown-up environments because people love trips down memory lane and its a great way to get people giggling.
Enjoy! Please share any creative fortunes you or your kiddos come up with!
About Shaina Charron
Shaina Charron has lived in Rochester for 25 years. She is the mother of one four and a half year old little boy. She spends her days trying to gratefully fill her roles as a mom, daughter, sister, friend, student, and employee. In January 2010 she left a full-time job of two years in order to spend more time with her child and return to college. She is currently earning her Liberal Arts Associates Degree and planning a transfer to a four year school where she can study social work.
Shaina enjoys spending time with her family and their beloved pets, crafting, reading (her favorites are the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon and Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling), eating and cooking (mostly vegetarian, though occasionally gluten free and vegan as well), spending time with friends, and being outside in nature.
As a mother, she’s found breastfeeding, bed-sharing and gentle discipline to be the best fit for her child. She dreams about the beach in Florida, living in a cabin in the woods, and taking a cross country trip without any sort of time or financial restraints. She is looking forward to sharing her adventures with you.