ESL/EFL Origami Crafts are a huge hit with students! Practice the ABCs or Verbs with these Paku Paku Fortune Tellers.
Our latest 10-minute ESL/EFL craft for kids is a fun and exciting origami craft. When you make these Origami Paku Paku Fortune Tellers, students can practice listening and following directions as the teacher demonstrates how to fold the paper and make them. After that, kids can practice asking their friends about numbers, colors, ABCs, and verbs. These have been such a hit with our students as young as three years old which is why it’s one of our new favorite activities!
There are two fun styles of Paku paku Fortune Teller origami crafts to choose from. The simple version is great for young students. It has numbers from 1 to 8 and easy ABC-words such as apple, bat, cat from our FUN!book 1 and Level 1 Downloadable Curriculum. The other style has numbers from 10 to 80 with various verbs from our FUN!book 2 and Level 2 Downloadable Curriculum. Not only are the Paku Paku Fortune Tellers super easy and fun to make, they’re full of potential for teaching and reviewing important vocabulary and expressions.
By the way, we decided to call them Paku Paku Fortune Tellers because all the children in Japan call this origami craft “paku paku,” which means Chomp Chomp. Whatever country you’re in, and whatever you decide to call them, it’s safe to say that everyone will call them “FUN!”
ESL/EFL Origami Craft – Paku Paku Fortune Tellers Supplies List
Printed Origami Fortune Tellers (We recommend B4 size paper.)
How to Make Origami Fortune Tellers
There couldn’t be an easier craft for kids. Just print, cut, and fold!
Step 1: Download and print the templates
Just download these templates and print them out on B4 size paper. After that, cut along the dotted lines. We recommend using a large cutter to save time and get a straight cut.
Step 2: Fold into triangles to find the center
Fold diagonally to make a big triangle, and then fold in half again to make a smaller triangle. This allows you to find the center easily for the next step. After you fold the triangles, you can unfold the paper back to the original square.
Step 3: Fold the corners into the center
After you unfold the paper. Place it with the images facing down and fold each corner into the middle, making a smaller square. The colors and numbers should be facing up.
Step 4: Turn over and repeat
Next, turn over the paper and fold the corners into the middle again. This time, you should only be able to see the colors.
Step 5: Fold into a rectangle and then a smaller square
Fold the square in half (into a rectangle) so that only the numbers are showing. Then fold in half again (into a square.) Unfold back to the rectangle and push from the sides to make a 3D shape as pictured.
Step 6: Pull out the number flaps and start the fun!
After you make the 3D shape in Step 5, simply pull on the flaps to make the complete origami paku paku fortune teller!
Origami Fortune Tellers will be a hit in any lesson or event!
There’s no right or wrong way to play with these ESL Origami Paku Paku Fortune Tellers. We like to have our students practice expressions such as:
Please choose a number… (50)
10, 20, 30, 40, 50
Please choose a color… (pink)
P – I – N – K
Please choose another color… (green)
What can you cook? (Making a sentence from the word under the color.)
We hope you have a great time doing this fun and easy craft in your next lesson!
