What is a paper fortune teller?
A paper fortune teller — also called a cootie catcher, or chatpati in India — is a folded-paper game where you pick a colour, pick a number, and lift a flap to read your fortune. It is one of the most recognisable origami schoolyard games in the world. This version plays it online, free: tap a colour, watch the paper open and close, pick your numbers, and a flap peels back to reveal your fortune.
How to play
- Pick one of the four colours: red, blue, green or yellow.
- The paper opens and closes once for each letter of the colour you picked.
- Pick one of the numbers now showing inside, and it counts out again.
- Pick a second number from the ones that appear.
- That flap peels back to reveal your fortune.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a paper fortune teller?
- A paper fortune teller, also called a cootie catcher or chatpati, is a folded-paper game where you pick a colour, count it out as the paper opens and closes, pick a number, and lift a flap to read the fortune written underneath.
- How do you play a paper fortune teller?
- Pick one of the four colours and the paper opens and closes once for each letter of the colour. Then pick one of the numbers shown, count it out the same way, pick a second number, and lift that flap to reveal your fortune.
- Why is it called a cootie catcher?
- Cootie catcher is the common American name for the same folded-paper origami fortune teller. In India it is often called chatpati. They are the same game.
- Is this fortune teller game free?
- Yes. The LinkBlush paper fortune teller is free, needs no signup, and runs in any web browser on a phone or desktop.
Reference: Paper fortune teller on Wikipedia.