Remember making pinwheels (aka paper windmills) back in the day? With the weather getting nicer, and your family staying home, here’s a chance to create some colorful memories for your kiddos!
You don’t need to be an origami master to make one. Pinwheels are just as fun to make as they are to play with.
This project comes courtesy of The Spruce Crafts. Check out their site for more at-home, DIY activities.
Materials:
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Craft paper or recycled paper. Get creative! Use patterned paper for something fancy, or have a theme, like red and blue for the Fourth of July.
- 1 straw per pinwheel
1 pushpin per pinwheel
Ruler
Instructions:
- Using a ruler, mark the center of your square paper with a pencil. Next use your ruler to draw a diagonal line from each corner of the paper halfway towards the center dot you just made. Note: If you are using printed paper, where one side is white and the other has a pattern, make sure you draw the lines on the white side of the paper.
- Use the scissors to cut down the diagonal lines you just marked on your paper.
- Fold alternating points (every other point) into the center dot and put a pushpin through. This step can be tricky since the points like to escape if you are not holding them tight. Be patient!
- Hold the pushpin with gathered points in one hand tightly and use your other hand to push the remainder of the pin through a straw. You can use paper craft straws for these pinwheels, but you can also attach your pinwheel to a plastic straw or a pencil. Once your pushpin is through the straw, use a little bit of masking tape to protect your kid’s fingers.
For a colorful tabletop decoration or a fun DIY toy, the pinwheel is a winner!