Valentine’s Day Cootie Catcher Printable for Kids (Free & Fun!)

Including some Valentine’s Day fun in your homeschool day is super easy with our interactive Valentine’s Day cootie catcher!

If you’ve ever wondered how to make Valentine’s Day feel special when you’ve got kids underfoot, you’re not alone. It can be tough to find the right balance of activities for kids to celebrate a typically adult-centered holiday, you know? We want the kids to celebrate, but we want them to celebrate in an age-appropriate manner.

Valentine’s Day with kids can still be fun, low-pressure, and still meaningful even if your day is already packed with your typical homeschool plans. Today, I’m sharing a no-cost way to include some Valentine’s Day fun into your schedule that the kids are sure to enjoy!

Homeschooling on Valentine’s Day

If you’re worried that including Valentine’s Day into your already-busy February schedule is only going to increase your workload as a homeschool parent…don’t!

Good news for both of us, I keep adding new freebies to the Printable Playground…like my Valentine’s Day cootie catcher! You can grab easy, educational homeschool printables for kids of all ages, because your days are already full. Homeschool printables should save time, not pile on more stress.

My Valentine’s Day cootie catcher printable is 100% free. It also takes just a few minutes to set up, so you and the kids can start right away and make some sweet February memories together.

In this post, I’ll give you a quick overview of what cootie catchers are, show you how to fold and use the Valentine’s Day cootie catcher, and share where to download your free Valentine’s Day printable.

Let’s jump in!

What are Cootie Catchers?

I’ll admit it, the first time I saw cootie catchers popping up all over social media, I didn’t get it. Aren’t cooties germs? Who wants to catch those? Aren’t we trying to AVOID them?! Hard pass.

Then, I realized what everyone meant. Cootie catchers are those folded fortune tellers we played with as kids. That’s was we called them in South Jersey way back in the 1990s at least. If you grew up calling them something else, tell me in the comments. I love learning about how names for things vary throughout the country. Like…coke, pop, soda…all the same thing!

The name “cootie catcher” has been around since World War One. Quick warning, if you are easily grossed out – it came from the idea of usnig a pincher-like motion to grab germs or little bugs. I mean, “yay” for developing those fine motor skills, but still totally nasty.

Luckily, today’s paper cootie catchers are just fun. Whew! Kids use their fingers to open and close them (again, great fine-motor practice! The special education teacher in me appreciates this!), and they sneak in counting, spelling, or simple reading at the same time. Add a goofy challenge or a tiny fortune inside, and it turns into an easy activity that still feels special.

My Valentine’s Day cootie catcher printable works the same way. Kids keep their hands busy while they count & spell, and they’ll complete eight different Valentine’s Day-themed challenges. Each one takes no longer than 5 minutes, making this a low-pressure activity for our kiddos.

Making a Valentine’s Day Cootie Catcher

Including my Valentine’s Day cootie catcher in your winter plans this year is super easy. The printable comes with step-by-step instructions for crafting and using the cootie catcher, but I always think it’s smart to know all the details before jumping into an activity.

It makes sense, right?

Keep reading to learn how to make and use the cootie catcher, or scroll down to the next section to have the Valentine’s Day cootie catcher printable sent right to your inbox.

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Assembling the Cootie Catcher

To make the Valentine’s Day 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. Just in case you have a need, all of those items (and then some) are included in my shoppable list of homeschool faves!

• Print and 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:
  • Just like before, fold each of the four corners to the center. This creates an even smaller square.

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 (heart, chocolate, card, flowers)
  • Open and close the cootie catcher once for each letter in the image they chose (e.g., H-E-A-R-T would be five 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 Valentine’s Day Challenge hidden inside.

For example, a Valentine’s Day cootie catcher sequence might go like this:

• The person picks “Heart.” You spell out “H-E-A-R-T” while moving the cootie catcher in and out for each letter
• They see the new numbers inside and pick “3.” You move the cootie catcher 3 times
• Finally, they pick “2.” You open up the flap for “2” and reveal the Valentine’s Day Challenge inside

Get the Valentine’s Day Cootie Catcher Printable

The moment you’ve been waiting for! I’ve made it super easy to get access to all of my printables! To get the Groundhog Day 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 (Christmas Cootie Catcher included) when you request the monthly password to the Printable Playground.

It’s totally up to you! Either way, I have a pretty good feeling you and the kids will really enjoy the Valentine’s Day cootie catcher!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

When kids get to touch, fold, and play, the lesson sticks – a Valentine’s Day cootie catcher is perfect for that hands-on fun! It helps build fine-motor skills, sneaks in reading practice, and opens the door for sweet talks about winter, love, and friendship! Print a set, pull it out after lunch, and tell me which prompt got the biggest laugh (or smile!) in the comments.

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