Folding A Fortune Teller Paper Game

Okay, so remember those paper fortune tellers we used to make in elementary school? You know, the ones that promised you'd marry your crush (yeah right!) or become a millionaire by Tuesday? Good times, good times. We're talking about the cootie catcher, the chatterbox, whatever you called it. Prepare to relive the glory!

Seriously, though, making these things is surprisingly therapeutic. And who knows, maybe you will predict the future! (Don't quote me on that.) Ready to dive in?

What You'll Need (aka stuff you already have)

This is the best part. You literally need:

• A square piece of paper (printer paper works perfectly)
• Scissors (if your paper isn't already square...duh!)
• Markers or pens (for maximum fortune-telling fabulousness)

That's it! No fancy origami skills required. Unless you want to get fancy, which, hey, go for it! But we're keeping it simple today.

Let's Get Folding! (The Actual Fun Part)

Alright, deep breaths. We're about to enter the world of paper folding. Don't panic! It's easier than it looks, I promise. Even I can do it, and my spatial reasoning skills are...questionable.

Step 1: Make a Square (If You Don't Already Have One)

Okay, if you have a square, skip ahead! But if you're starting with regular rectangular paper, here's the trick: Fold one corner diagonally to the opposite side. Make a crisp crease. Then, cut off the extra rectangle bit. Bam! Square. (Pro tip: Save that extra bit for scrap paper! Reduce, reuse, recycle, you know?)

Step 2: The First Folds (Easy Peasy)

Now, unfold your square. You should see a diagonal crease. Fold the other two corners together, creating another diagonal crease. You should now have an 'X' crease in your paper. Feeling good? We're just getting started!

Step 3: Point to Center (Like Pizza Slices!)

Fold each of the four corners into the center of the square. So, imagine your paper is a pizza and you're folding each slice to the middle. Make sure the points meet neatly in the center. Crease everything nicely. Almost there!

Step 4: Flip It Over (Surprise!)

Flip the whole thing over! See? It's already starting to look cootie-catcher-y, right?

Step 5: More Point-to-Center Action (Deja Vu!)

Fold the four corners on this side into the center, just like you did before. Press those creases! We want this fortune teller to work, people!

Step 6: Almost There! (The Grand Finale of Folding)

Now, fold the square in half, then unfold it. Then fold it in half the other way and unfold it. This will make it easier to maneuver. See those little flaps? Stick your fingers under them to open up the fortune teller. It might take a little wiggling and persuasion. Don't be afraid to be firm! (But don't rip it...)

Time to Decorate (Let Your Inner Artist Shine!)

This is where the magic happens! Now you get to customize your fortune teller of destiny.

Step 1: Colors or Numbers (The Outside)

On the outside squares, write colors or numbers. I always went with colors, probably because I couldn't spell big numbers correctly in third grade. (True story.) Four choices should be good!

Step 2: Numbers or More Colors (The Inside Flaps)

Under each color/number, write more numbers (or if you used numbers on the outside, use more colors here). I'd suggest numbering them from 1-8.

Step 3: The Fortunes! (The Best Part!)

Under those numbers, write your fortunes! Be creative! Be silly! Be outrageous! This is where you can really let your personality shine. Think things like: "You will find true love at the grocery store," or "A talking dog will give you financial advice." The more absurd, the better, right? Who wants boring fortunes?!

Playing the Game (Fortune Telling Time!)

Okay, you've built it, you've decorated it, now let's use this thing! Here's the rundown:

1. Have someone pick a color (or number if you used numbers).
2. Spell out the color (or count to the number), opening and closing the fortune teller for each letter/number.
3. They pick another color/number from the inside.
4. Repeat the spelling/counting.
5. They pick a final number.
6. Open the flap and read their fortune! DUN DUN DUN!

And there you have it! Instant fortune-telling fun. Hours of entertainment (or at least, like, 15 minutes). Now go forth and predict the future! Or at least make someone laugh. That works too.

So, what are you waiting for? Go find some paper! And maybe brew another cup of coffee. Fortune telling is thirsty work!