14 Days of Valentine's Gifts - Day 11:

Cootie Catchers

by Franny Lesniak, LM Design Team

Cootie Catchers

These Cootie Catchers are all the rage with my kiddos! I made this set for my son and daughter as Valentine’s Day gifts. They are so easy and quick to make.

Step 1: Start with an 8 inch square piece of paper.

Step 2: Fold corner to corner diagonally to create a triangle. Crease the paper. Open paper back up, and fold the other corner to corner, creasing the folded edge. Again, open the sheet of paper and lay it flat on the desk.

Step 3: Fold corners toward the center point of the paper. Your paper should look like this:

Step 4: Flip paper over so that folded sides are face down. Again, fold corners toward center diagonally.

When all four corners are folded, it will look like this:

Step 5: On the same side, write the numbers one through eight, putting each number in one of the triangle areas.

Step 6: Fold it in half vertically, with the numbers facing each other, to create a crease. Now, fold it in half horizontally, again with the numbers facing each other, thus forming another crease.

Step 7: Write fortunes under number flaps. When your fortunes are written, close number flaps. Flip paper over and write the names of colors on each square (I used KI Memories Valentine’s word stickers from the Wild Thing line).

Step 8: Hold paper folded in half, and slip thumbs and forefingers under flaps with colors written on them. Open and close the Cootie Catcher by alternating pinching thumbs, and then thumb-to-forefingers together.

How to play:

Find a friend and ask them to pick a color that you have written on one of the flaps. Moving the flaps in and out and side to side in time with the letters, spell out the word they have chosen. Open the Cootie Catcher to reveal the numbers and ask them to pick one. Count out the number they have chosen by moving the flaps in and out and side to side. Ask them to pick another number and count it out in the same manner. This time ask them to pick a third number and reveal the answer you have written on the inside flap.

Have fun with this, get creative! If you are making a Cootie Catcher to give as a Valentine’s Day gift to someone you love, instead of writing fortunes you might write some love sentiments. {wink, wink}