How to Make a Paper Fortune Teller: A Simple Guide
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If you grew up in the ’90s, it’s likely that you’ve played with a paper fortune teller before. A paper fortune teller is a fun origami game that can be played by people of all ages. It’s a perfect activity for kids to keep them busy during a rainy day or a long car ride. In this article, we’ll show you how to make a paper fortune teller in six easy steps.
Materials Needed
To make a paper fortune teller, you’ll need a few materials that you might already have at home. Here’s what you’ll need:
- A square piece of paper
- Scissors
- Pen or pencil
The paper can be any size, but we recommend using a standard 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of paper and cutting it down to a square. If you’re using a larger piece of paper, you’ll need to fold it in half diagonally to create a square. Once you have your materials, it’s time to start folding.
The first step in making a paper fortune teller is to fold the paper into a square. If you’re using a standard piece of printer paper, you’ll need to cut it down to a square. Once you have a square piece of paper, follow these steps:
- Fold the paper in half diagonally, crease it, and unfold it.
- Fold the paper in half diagonally in the opposite direction, crease it, and unfold it.
- Fold the paper in half horizontally, crease it, and unfold it.
- Fold the paper in half vertically, crease it, and unfold it.
You should now have a square piece of paper with two diagonal creases and one horizontal and vertical crease. The next step is to fold the corners of the paper to the center point.
Folding the Paper
Now that you have a square piece of paper, it’s time to start folding your fortune teller. Follow these steps:
- Fold the paper in half diagonally, crease it, and unfold it.
- Fold the paper in half diagonally in the opposite direction, crease it, and unfold it.
- Fold the paper in half horizontally, crease it, and unfold it.
- Fold the paper in half vertically, crease it, and unfold it.
At this point, you should have a square piece of paper with four creases. Now it’s time to fold the corners of the paper to the center point.
- Take one corner of the paper and fold it towards the center of the paper.
- Crease the paper along the fold line and unfold it.
- Repeat this step with the other three corners of the paper.
Once you’ve folded all four corners of the paper to the center, you should have a smaller square. Fold the paper in half both horizontally and vertically and then open it up. You should see eight sections on the paper.
Now, it’s time to label the sections with numbers or colors. Write the numbers 1-8 on the top of each section. On the inside of each section, write a fortune or message.
Writing the Fortunes
Now that you have your paper fortune teller folded, it’s time to write the fortunes. Here are some suggestions for writing fortunes:
- Keep it positive: Make sure your fortunes are positive and uplifting. Nobody wants to read negative or depressing fortunes.
- Keep it age-appropriate: If you’re making a fortune teller for kids, make sure the fortunes are appropriate for their age group. For example, you wouldn’t want to include anything too scary or mature.
- Be creative: Have fun with it! Write funny or silly fortunes that will make people laugh.
- Be relevant: Make sure your fortunes are relevant to the person playing with the fortune teller. For example, if you’re making a fortune teller for your friend’s birthday, make sure the fortunes relate to birthdays or friendship.
When writing the fortunes, try to come up with a mix of different types of fortunes. Include some that are silly or funny, some that are serious or thoughtful, and some that are just plain wacky. Once you’ve written all of your fortunes, fold the paper fortune teller back up and decorate it if you’d like. Your paper fortune teller is now ready to use!
Decorating the Fortune Teller
Once you’ve made your paper fortune teller, it’s time to decorate it! Decorating the fortune teller is a fun way to make it more visually appealing and add some personality to your creation. Here are some ideas for decorating the outside of your fortune teller:
- Draw designs or patterns on the outside of the fortune teller using markers, pens, or colored pencils.
- Use stickers or decals to add some flair to the outside of the fortune teller.
- Cut out pictures or images from magazines or printed materials and glue them onto the outside of the fortune teller.
- Add some glitter or sequins to the outside of the fortune teller for some extra sparkle.
While decorating your fortune teller, be mindful not to add too much weight to the paper or the folds may not work properly. Keep in mind that the inside of the fortune teller will also be decorated with fortunes and colors, so you don’t want to go overboard with the outside decorations.
Using the Fortune Teller
Now that you’ve made and decorated your paper fortune teller, it’s time to have some fun with it! Here are some instructions for playing with the fortune teller:
- Hold the fortune teller with your thumbs and index fingers on the four corners.
- Pinch the corners together to make the fortune teller open and close.
- Have your friend choose a color from the outside flaps of the fortune teller. Spell out the color while opening and closing the fortune teller, once for each letter.
- Have your friend choose a number from the inside flaps of the fortune teller. Count out the number while opening and closing the fortune teller.
- Have your friend choose a number from the inside flaps of the fortune teller again. Lift the flap under the number and read the fortune inside.
Here are some additional games or activities you can do with your fortune teller:
- Create a story by using the fortunes as a guide for each character’s actions.
- Play a game of truth or dare by having your friend choose a fortune and either answering the truth or doing the dare.
- Use the fortunes to create a scavenger hunt or treasure hunt by placing items or clues in the location described in the fortune.
There are endless possibilities for games and activities with a paper fortune teller. Get creative and see what fun you can have with your creation!