Ask a Question, Get an Answer!

Picture this: You’re back in elementary school, and you’re supposed to be working on your multiplication tables. Instead, you sneak a sheet of notebook paper from your desk, fold one corner to the edge and tear off the extra strip. Ta-da — you’ve made a square.

A few quick folds later, the paper starts to take shape. You grab your favorite markers and crayons from your stickercovered neon pencil box and unfold your creation to decorate it. You add numbers, colors, doodles and, of course, fortunes. Just a few minutes ago, it was nothing more than an ordinary piece of paper. Now, how to make it it’s a colorful origami mystery waiting to reveal your future.

Cootie catchers — also known as fortune tellers, salt-cellars, chatterboxes and snapdragons — were more than just playground crafts. They were social tools that sparked laughter, curiosity and real connection with friends new and old. Somehow, those folded corners helped us open up about our hopes, dreams and biggest secrets.

It’s never too late to revisit the crafts that shaped us. Follow the steps below to make your own cootie catcher and see what secrets you can unfold.

How to Play

1. Have a friend choose a number from the outside flaps.

2. Count the number out loud while opening and closing the cootie catcher with each number.

3. When you stop, pick a new number from the inside.

4. Repeat the opening and closing with the new number.

5. Pick one more number from the inside of the cootie catcher.

6. Open the flap the number is written on to reveal the answer!