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Original poster

These things from our childhood - what on earth were they called?

61 replies

Circumferences · 03/07/2023 10:26

Ok
Do you remember getting a square of paper, folding it into 8ths(?) Folding it back into itself to make a device you can hold and flick it back and forth.
You'd ask your friend to choose a number from the top, then you'd flip the thing that amount of times, and you end up getting an instruction or something at the end.

I'm "teaching" (it's just an after school club as a volunteer don't worry nothing official) some children how to make these in the club, but can't find anything online to help out with ideas as I've no idea of the search term !!

OP posts:
CurlewKate · 03/07/2023 10:27

We called them fortune tellers-but I know there are other names...

MileEndMaisie · 03/07/2023 10:28

Fortune teller

Fozzleyplum · 03/07/2023 10:28

We called them buzzwags.

PepsiMaxLime · 03/07/2023 10:28

In my son’s school they’re called Chatterboxes!

Whinge · 03/07/2023 10:29

If you type in paper fotune teller or paper chatterbox, there are loads of templates.

MurielThrockmorton · 03/07/2023 10:30

I can't remember calling them anything. I haven't seen one for years, DD never made them. Like French skipping seems to have disappeared too.

Blarn · 03/07/2023 10:31

Fozzleyplum · 03/07/2023 10:28

We called them buzzwags.

Buzzwags?!

Whinge · 03/07/2023 10:32

MurielThrockmorton · 03/07/2023 10:30

I can't remember calling them anything. I haven't seen one for years, DD never made them. Like French skipping seems to have disappeared too.

I wonder if it's area dependent. Our school children have been really into them the last few months, and loom bands are also pretty popular again.

24Dogcuddler · 03/07/2023 10:34

Very much still around in some schools
Known as Fortune Tellers or Chatterboxes
Useful for little rewards or conversation skills groups.

Some children still make them the traditional way often with help!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Origami-Fortune-Tellers-Tear-off-Pads/dp/1474927998/ref=asc_df_1474927998/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310775890077&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15647012348580372998&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006539&hvtargid=pla-565339083315&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

Helendegenerate · 03/07/2023 10:34

Ah nostalgia! Wasn't it a girly thing though as I don't remember the boys having them. Nor do I remember them having a name. The simple games long before the mobiles and social media world took over.

ThanksItHasPockets · 03/07/2023 10:35

We called them fortune-tellers. Children seem to call them 'chatterboxes' now.

MurielThrockmorton · 03/07/2023 10:35

Maybe Whinge, I should also say DD is 20, so I have to wait a few years for grandchildren to find out what's popular amongst younger kids, but it just made me think she never made them when she was younger! And I never thought about them, I could've started a trend myself!

Highlyflavouredgravy · 03/07/2023 10:35

Fortune tellers
Very good for times table practise

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 03/07/2023 10:39

We called them buzzwags.

Sorry, couldn't resist Grin

The Simpsons - Chazzwazzers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sSp-t2fXXg

bryceQ · 03/07/2023 10:40

Fortune tellers they are really easy to make, you number the top, then we would write random words like colours on the inside bit, then a prediction for the future inside

mogtheexcellent · 03/07/2023 10:41

Dd makes them in afterschool club. She calls them chatterboxes.

Mmmmdanone · 03/07/2023 10:41

I'm sure we called them snapdragons

TheYearOfSmallThings · 03/07/2023 10:42

Fortune tellers. They are big in DS's teatime club. Mainly among the girls, who use them to decide who is "in love with" which of the available boys, who are largely oblivious and making farting noises.

DRS1970 · 03/07/2023 10:44

We called them snappers or tellers. Snappers was mainly because we made them with light card and would lure people in with a fortune telling, then pinch the victim with the with the point of the snapper.

LBOCS2 · 03/07/2023 10:48

mogtheexcellent · 03/07/2023 10:41

Dd makes them in afterschool club. She calls them chatterboxes.

Same.

I think we called them fortune tellers.

cocksstrideintheevening · 03/07/2023 10:50

MurielThrockmorton · 03/07/2023 10:30

I can't remember calling them anything. I haven't seen one for years, DD never made them. Like French skipping seems to have disappeared too.

My kids make them, also play french elastic. It's banned in school so they play it in the park.

QforCucumber · 03/07/2023 10:56

Ah I showed my 7 year old how to make one of these at the weekend - he turned it into a dinosaur by drawing teeth and eyes on it, defeating the whole point

MrsCarson · 03/07/2023 11:02

We called them fortune tellers. My grown kids called them Cootie catchers (US)