Dr. Seuss-Inspired Cootie Catchers For Fun With Kids (Free)
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If you're looking for a new way to have learning fun with Dr. Seuss, you'll love our 2 free Dr. Seuss-Inspired Cootie Catchers!
These printable activities feature favorite Dr. Seuss characters that will get you and your kids up and moving. This set includes styles with prompts and blank so you can customize.
Find out how my boys and I are using these Dr. Seuss resources and get started with your free printables today!
RELATED: Don't miss this whole mega pack of Dr. Seuss activities!
What are Cootie Catchers?
Did you play with paper fortune tellers? These fun and easy-to-make manipulatives were super popular when I was a kid - and I'm happy to see they are still in use. Cootie catchers are another name for these origami-like creations.
Cootie catchers (or fortune tellers) are typically used to "predict" your future based on questions or prompts.
Some cootie catchers use numbers on inner panels that are selected. The cootie catcher is then moved that number of times. Other cootie catchers use words that are selected and then spelled out to move the folded paper.
I've used cootie catchers with my boys to practice counting, spelling, sight words, and more. Using only one sheet of paper, these paper devices are easy and frugal to make. Plus, they help us easily add an element of fun to homeschool review.
My boys love using Nourishing My Scholar's Nature and New Year's Fun Cootie Catchers.
When we were reading a few Dr. Seuss books in our homeschool (and getting ready for Dr. Seuss Day on March 2, Smiley (9) asked if he could help me make Dr. Seuss-Inspired Cootie Catchers. Bear (7) and Xman (4) joined with their pleas, and we had a fun afternoon of planning and creating.
RELATED: Free printable Dr. Seuss variety pack of activities
More About These Dr. Seuss Cootie Catchers
My boys and I are using these cootie catchers as homeschool brain breaks and family fun. These Dr. Seuss cootie catchers feature our favorite characters.
Each character has an activity prompt to encourage movement. After a homeschool lesson or read-aloud time, I find that it's very helpful to provide an action-oriented activity (like charades) for my younger boys.
How To Use These Cootie Catchers
- Player 1 holds & manipulates the cootie catcher.
- Player 2 selects a character.
- That character's name is spelled out as the cootie catcher is moved back and forth.
- One of the words inside the cootie catcher is chosen and spelled out.
- Player 2 makes the final selection of word and that flap is opened.
- Player 2 performs the prompt.
- Switch turns & keep the fun going!
How to Make Your Dr. Seuss Cootie Catchers
01
Cut out cootie catcher square.
Cut out cootie catcher square and place it with characters facing up.
02
Fold corners to meet in middle.
Turn cootie catcher square over. Fold 4 corners to meet in center.
03
Flip and fold again.
Flip cootie catcher over so characters are down. Fold all four corners into middle again.
04
Fold in half.
Fold cootie catcher in half (text touching text).
Unfold and repeat on other side (to help it be more flexible).
05
Open up cootie catcher.
Hold cootie catcher with folded side (crease) pointed up. Two flaps will meet and open in the center.
Gently pull open those flaps and insert thumb and pointer finger. (Thumbs will be positioned closer to your body.)
05
Enjoy your Dr. Seuss-Inspired Cootie Catcher!
To use your cootie catcher, you pick one of the characters. You will move your cootie catcher for each letter of that character's name and then stop.
Pick a word and move for each letter. Then, pick a word, open, and do that prompt!
I included blank templates (only with characters) for each cootie catcher, in case you'd like to customize with sight words, colors, letters, or other learning concepts.
Also included is a step-by-step tutorial to guide you in creating and using them. Here is our free printable cootie catcher guide with step-by-step instructions.
RELATED: Looking for another way to get the kids moving? Get this Free Dr. Seuss Activity Cube!
Get Your Free Dr. Seuss Cootie Catchers
WooHoo! Get ready for some awesome hands-on fun with these Dr. Seuss activities!
This printable pack includes 4 pages. 2 pages are completed and 2 pages are blank so you can create your own fun Dr. Seuss prompts.
Print out as many of these activities as you need to enjoy for personal use (non-commercial use) in your home, classroom, and library. If you know someone who likes to provide their kids with these types of fun activities, please share this post!
Ready to get your set of cootie catchers? All you have to do is subscribe to Rock Your Homeschool
⭐️ You’ll receive an email with a PDF file plus a password to open the VIP Resource Library to all RYHS freebies. Email Amy at rockyourhomeschool@gmail.com if you have any problems!
Oh, and you’ll also get emails with ideas, resources, and encouragement to make life and learning fun.
(Psst! Current RYHS members just need to go to the VIP Resource Library and enter the password in your welcome email.)
⭐️ Get your FREE Dr. Seuss Cootie Catchers now! ⭐️
⭐ Do you have any questions about making or using these cootie catchers? Let me know in the comment section below. And I'd love to hear your ideas for enjoying these activities with kids!
love your freebies...how does a subscriber get to the freebies without having to sign up over and over again? It asks for a password and when I put mine in it bounces me back asking for the password again. Sorry...maybe I'm just computer dumb....LOL. Thanks again for the great stuff. We use them for kids in the most economically challenged County in the State of Florida when we have free kids events at our small museum. Thanks for the help.
Hello! Thanks for your kind words 🙂 There's a password for Subscriber's Library that you should get in email. I'll send it over 😉