Halloween Jokes Cootie Catcher with Step by Step Instructions

When you were in elementary school, what did you call cootie catchers? Origami fortune tellers? Chatterbox, salt cellar, whirlybird, or paku-paku? We called them cootie catchers in Ohio, where I grew up and I always wondered why. Apparently, it got the name cootie catcher from the shape of the paper points which seemed perfect for picking bugs (dog ticks otherwise known as cooties) off of people after WWI. No matter what you call it, the kids will love folding this Halloween Jokes Cootie Catcher and telling the silly jokes inside.

Halloween Jokes Cootie Catcher Supplies Needed

You don’t need much to make a cootie catcher! Just some paper, a printer and some scissors, and you’re ready to go.

• Halloween Cootie Catcher Printable
• Paper
• Printer
• Scissors
• Sense of Humor

I’ve included a blank cootie catcher template so kids can write their own jokes and paper fortune teller, too.

How to Make a Cootie Catcher Step by Step Instructions

Now it’s time to put on some spooky music or break out the candy corn, and get folding! First step in learning how to make a cootie catcher is to be or have been at one time an elementary school aged kiddo. I feel like making these is completely ingrained in my brain from the 3000 I made back in Ohio.

1. Print the template on a piece of paper and cut out the cootie catcher along the outside.
2. Fold the sheet of paper in half and open. Turn and fold in half the other way. Open.
3. Flip over to back side and fold one corner up until point hits the center. Repeat with other 3 corners.
4. Flip back over to front and again fold all four corners towards the center, making sure to line up the corners of the paper.
5. Flip over and fold in half and then in half again. To use, insert fingers under flaps.

How to Play With a Halloween Jokes Cootie Catcher

1. Pick a Halloween object and move flaps in and out while spelling the object’s name.
2. Stop on the last letter and pick a number.
3. Move flaps in and out while counting to the number.
4. Stop on the number and open the flap. Tell a joke. Repeat!

Halloween Fun for Kids that Like to Play

Halloween is such a fun time of the year! I seem to make more activities for the blog in October than the rest of the year! Here are a couple of my favorite Halloween play ideas.

Fizzing Pumpkin Treasure Rocks – These fun, foamy bombs have little prizes wrapped up in some bubbly science. Kids LOVE them! And they’re perfect for Halloween parties at school or home.

The Best Black Playdough Recipe Ever – I love (um, I mean, my daughter loves) playing with playdough. Give it a dose of spooky this year and make it black with this awesomely soft and richly colored recipe.

Halloween Learning Activities for Kids

And since this is Left Brain Craft Brain, we often like to add a little bit of learning to our holidays, too. Here are some of our faves.

Halloween Engineering Projects for Kids – Kids will LOVE playing ghost games, wiring electric wands and silly pumpkin bots and so much more in this huge list of Halloween engineering activities.

31 Days of Halloween STEAM Challenges – Looking for some quick projects that bring integrated learning into the season? These STEAM challenges are perfect!

Planned-for-You Halloween Fun

Looking for some more STEAM inspiration that you can use right now? Instant gratification style? Check out STEAM Explorers!! The coolest creative experience for kids is here! It's a digital book of the month club filled with tons of fun stuff for the kids to do and learn. All engineer, teacher, and mom-approved. And most definitely KID APPROVED!⁣

What’s included?⁣

• A monthly digital magazine with cool themes that are fun to read
• Hands-on, exciting projects the kids will love.⁣
• Science, tech, engineering, art, and math learning YOU’LL love.⁣
• Delicious recipes the kids can make.⁣
• Fun printables and games⁣

Get ready to have fun with hands-on STEAM this Halloween! Join us this October as we investigate bats, brains, spiders, candy, and pumpkins through hands-on STEAM!The kids will love building a spider bot, getting grossed out by delicious spider egg cookies, and learning about the brain with hands-on play.

We’ve split the issue into four weekly themes:

• WEEK 1: SENSATIONAL SPIDERS
• WEEK 2: PUMPKIN PROJECTS
• WEEK 3: SPOOKY STEAM
• WEEK 4: TRICK OR TREAT