These printable paper fortune teller Valentines are a fun and creative way to show that special someone how you feel on Valentine’s Day. Includes two different printable versions — a sweet one and a punny one that’s perfect for classroom Valentines. I’ll also show you how to fold a cootie catcher.
Third grade hasn’t changed much in the decades since I was a grade schooler. Kids still laugh at the same silly jokes and play the same little games we used to play during recess.
For example, my son and his friends were obsessed with making paper fortune tellers — what we used to call cootie catchers.
So, I thought it would be fun to make some printable fortune tellers for Valentine’s Day. I was inspired by this cool seasonal cootie catcher from Bren Did.
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Jump to:
- What are Paper Fortune Tellers?
- Supplies for Paper Fortune Teller Valentines
- Printable Templates
- How to Make Paper Fortune Teller Valentines
- How to Fold a Cootie Catcher
- 🎥 Video: How to Fold a Cootie Catcher
- ❤️ More Valentine’s Day Craft Ideas
- 🖨 Printable How-To Instructions
- Paper Fortune Teller Valentines
What are Paper Fortune Tellers?
Paper fortune tellers go by many names, including cootie catchers, salt cellars, chatterboxes and whirlybirds. They’re a simple form of origami, made by folding a square of paper into a shape you can move with your thumbs and index fingers.
A cootie catcher has flaps that you can lift to reveal a hidden message — or fortune.
In the case of these Valentine’s Day fortune tellers, each flap lifts to reveal a sweet message or a pun!
Want to see a brief overview of the process before diving into the tutorial? Click to watch my web story on how to make these simple origami Valentines.
A few years ago, I made some cootie catcher Valentines for my husband and son using scrapbook paper, and I decorated with stickers and personalized messages. They were a big hit.
These are even easier — just print, cut and fold!
Supplies for Paper Fortune Teller Valentines
To make these Valentines, you will need:
- computer printer
- 8½ by 11 printer paper
- printable templates
- scissors or paper cutter
Printable Templates
There are two different printable templates:
- A lovey-dovey version, decorated with hearts and arrows and filled with sweet nothings
- A kid version with silly mustache-themed puns
The romantic version is perfect to give to your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day.
The silly version was designed to be used for classroom Valentines. There’s no mention of love, Valentine’s Day or anything sappy.
Just lots of “punny” answers and punchlines to the joke, “I really mustache you a question.”
Click on the links below to save the printables to your computer. Feel free to print as many copies as you need, for your personal use only.
How to Make Paper Fortune Teller Valentines
First, you need to download the free printable of your choice.
Print it out on your home computer on a sheet of standard piece of paper. Then use scissors or a paper trimmer 
to cut out the cootie catcher.
How to Fold a Cootie Catcher
Begin by folding paper in half, left to right along the center line. Then unfold the paper and and fold it half again, top to bottom, along the center line.
Unfold and place the paper face down.
Fold the points to the center.
Then turn the cootie catcher over.
Fold each corner to the center again.
Like so.
And your cootie catcher is finished!
🎥 Video: How to Fold a Cootie Catcher
Here’s a video that shows you step-by-step how to fold a fortune teller.
To play with with your paper fortune teller and start predicting your (romantic) future, just slide your thumb and index finger into the flaps on the underside.
Lift a flap to reveal your future.
❤️ More Valentine’s Day Craft Ideas
Here are some other fun and easy Valentine’s Day crafts to try:
Pin This! Paper Fortune Teller Valentines
🖨 Printable How-To Instructions
Paper Fortune Teller Valentines
Equipment
- 1 pair of scissors
- computer printer
Ingredients
- 2 pieces paper
- 2 printable templates
Instructions
- First, you need to download the free printable of your choice.
- Print out the Valentine templates.
- Use scissors or a paper cutter to cut out the cootie catcher image.
How to Fold a Paper Fortune Teller
- Fold paper square in half, left to right along the center line. Then unfold the paper and and fold it half again, top to bottom, along the center line.
- Unfold and place the paper face down.
- Fold the points to the center.
- Then turn paper over.
- Fold each corner to the center again.
- To play with the fortune teller, insert thumbs and index fingers into the flaps on the underside.
Steven
Such a memorable childhood game!
I remember folding this origami pretend to be predicting the future for friends.
Jodi
Thank you for sharing these amazing valentines! My son, in fourth grade, thinks they are going to be the coolest Valentines in his class.
Atta Girl Amy
Hope the Valentines were a hit! My 3rd grader wasn’t really into Valentine’s Day this year.
Christine
Thanks! My kids are really in to fortune tellers these days and they will love them.