Teaching Gratitude with Free Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher

Teaching gratitude is fun and memorable when the kids can play with our Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher printable!

In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, homeschooling families have the opportunity to incorporate lessons on gratitude, American history, cooking and more! Plus, being the month before (our very favorite holiday) Christmas, November can sometimes seem hectic and set at lightning speed.

Homeschooling in November doesn’t have to be stressful, though…especially when you’re able to take advantage of the activities and free printables here on That Homeschool Family!

Not only is the Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher printable free, it’s also ready for use in a minute or two, providing meaningful, memorable, and fun activities encouraging expressing gratitude this Thanksgiving season and beyond.

Curious about how to get access to the printable? How to make the cootie catcher? What a cootie catcher even is? And how it can help in teaching gratitude?

Let’s chat!

What is a Cootie Catcher?

Not gonna lie, when I started seeing cootie catchers being advertised all over social media, I hadn’t the slightest clue what people were talking about. Cooties are germs aren’t they? Why the heck would I want to catch them…that seems to be the complete opposite of my health goals.

You guys. Cootie Catchers are the folded paper Fortune Tellers we used to play with as kids. At least that’s what we called them in South Jersey in the 90s. Did you call them something different (let me know in the comments because I am genuinely curious about this)?

The name “Cootie Catcher” dates back to World War I and, scroll down to the next section if you get squeamish, refers to the act of a pincer grasp swallowing up germs or bugs. Ew. Gross.

Either way, current day Cootie Catchers are often used by kids and incorporate finger movement (yay fine motor skills!), counting and/or spelling, and some sort of themed fortune or challenge.

In this case, my Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher printable includes fine motor skills, counting, spelling, and 8 different Thanksgiving gratitude-themed challenges that can typically be completed in about 5-10 minutes each. Yep!

Teaching Gratitude to Kids

That Homeschool Family is a participant in a variety of programs including the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Purchases made from links on this website may result in That Homeschool Family receiving a monetary payment at no extra cost to you. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.

Ever notice how the topic of teaching gratitude to kids seems to pop up every November? Because many are celebrating Thanksgiving, it just seems to make sense to focus on teaching gratitude, too. You know what, though? We really should be teaching kids to be thankful and grateful for the special people, places, and things in their lives all year long.

I totally suggest incorporating the Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher into your November activities, but am also going to recommend encouraging the kids to show gratitude throughout the year. A few ways to do just this are:

• Writing in a daily gratitude journal: A simple spiral-bound journal will do, but you could totally get a “fancy” journal to make it more exciting
• Going on gratitude walks: Go for short walks with the family while encouraging everyone to point out things they’re thankful for (like sunshine in the summer or beautifully colored leaves in the fall). This will help the kids to notice the little joys around them!
• Making gratitude artwork: Break out those canvases you scored on sale from the craft store (did you know homeschool parents can get discounts at craft stores?!) and have the kids paint images of people, places, and things. Consider doing this frequently and displaying all the works of art together in a “gratitude gallery” wall in your home!

• Practicing Positive Affirmations: being grateful for others starts with being grateful for yourself! I have a number of positive affirmation printables in the Printable Playground to help with just this.
• Writing Thank-You Notes & Letters: There’s nothing like some good old fashioned snail mail! Have the kids write letters to family members & friends to show their gratitude. You may even consider writing letters to soldiers or even residents of a local senior living home. There are plenty of options for themed lined paper in the Printable Playground, too!
• Volunteering Together: Find local opportunities to volunteer as a family, such as helping at a food pantry or an animal shelter. This will help the kids to understand gratitude through giving to others.

Making a Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher

It is ridiculously easy to include my Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher printable in your Thanksgiving activities this year…and beyond. Of course, the printable includes directions on how to form the cootie catcher and how to use it, but I find it’s always helpful to know all the details before starting an activity.

You, too? Keep reading for cootie catcher construction and use details or keep scrolling to the next section…where you can get the Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher printable sent straight to your inbox.

Assembling the Cootie Catcher

To make the Thanksgiving Gratitude Cootie Catcher, you’ll just need a printer capable of printing in color, standard printer paper (no need to use cardstock for this project!), and a pair of scissors.

• Cut out the Cootie Catcher Square

• Fold in Half Diagonally (Both Ways):
  • Fold the square diagonally corner-to-corner, then unfold.
  • Repeat with the other diagonal. You should now have a square with two crease lines that cross in the center.

• Fold Each Corner to the Center:
  • Bring each corner of the square to the center point, creating a smaller square with four triangular flaps meeting in the middle.

• Flip the Paper Over:
  • Turn your folded paper over so the flaps are facing down.
• Fold Each Corner to the Center Again:
  • Just like before, fold each of the four corners to the center. This creates an even smaller square.

• Fold the Square in Half Horizontally and Vertically:
  • Fold the smaller square in half to make a rectangle, then unfold.
  • Rotate the paper and fold it in half the other way, then unfold again.

• Open the Pockets:
  • With the folded side facing up, gently slip your fingers under each of the four flaps on the underside of the cootie catcher.
  • Pinch the flaps together with your thumbs and forefingers, and your cootie catcher will pop up into shape.

Using the Cootie Catcher

• Hold the Cootie Catcher:
  • Place your thumbs and forefingers inside the four pockets of the cootie catcher.
  • Move your fingers to open and close it vertically and horizontally.
• Pick a Color:
  • Ask the person using the cootie catcher to pick one of the images on the top flaps (pumpkin pie, leaves, cornucopia, or turkey)
  • Open and close the cootie catcher once for each letter in the image they chose (e.g., T-U-R-K-E-Y would be six movements).
• Pick a Number:
  • Show the inside of the cootie catcher where numbers are written on the flaps.
  • Ask them to pick one of these numbers.
  • Open and close the cootie catcher again for each count of the number chosen.
• Pick Another Number:
  • With the cootie catcher open, show the inside numbers again.
  • Ask them to pick one final number.
• Reveal the Challenge:
  • Lift the flap under the final number to reveal the Thanksgiving Gratitude Challenge hidden inside.

For example, a Thanksgiving cootie catcher sequence might go like this:

• The person picks “Turkey.” You spell out “T-U-R-K-E-Y” while moving the cootie catcher in and out for each letter

• They see the new numbers inside and pick “4.” You move the cootie catcher 4 times.

• Finally, they pick “2.” You open up the flap for “2” and reveal the Thanksgiving Gratitude Challenge inside

Get the Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher Printable

You’re busy, I get it! That’s why I’ve made it super easy to get access to all of my printables! To get the Thanksgiving cootie catcher printable you can either:

1. Fill out the form below: Doing so will send the printable PDF straight to your inbox where you can save or print at your convenience.
2. Request Access to the Printable Playground: You’ll get access to my ever-growing collection of free printables (Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher included) when you request the monthly password to the Printable Playground.

The choice is yours! Either way, I just know you and the kids will really enjoy the cootie catcher!

Teaching Gratitude This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is more than a (delicious) meal; it’s a mindset! Today, I’ve shared a few ways to teach gratitude to kids, activities to further the learning experience, and even a super fun free printable you can use with the kids this Thanksgiving.

Keep in mind that the goal is to plant seeds that will grow long after the turkey’s gone! Encourage the kids to think about what they’re thankful for and share their gratitude with friends and family. What seems like a few moments of homeschooling are a lifetime worth of valuable lessons!

How do you practice gratitude with your family? Go ahead and share your traditions in the comments – I’d love to hear all about them!

Until next time, stay safe and enjoy quality time with your family,