Kids Pinwheel Arts & Crafts Activity

The thing I particularly love about this arts and crafts project is the fact that it isn't simply loads of fun creating it, children also have a field day playing with their creation afterwards. And as a bonus, it's good for any weather! Kids of all ages can benefit from this activity. They can plant their pinwheel into the garden by securing it to a wooden rod, or plainly run around against the wind while watching it turn, and turn, and turn. In order to see this magic in the wind, a thick handle is best. I will therefore be showing you step by step how to put together this super cute homemade pinwheel.

What you'll need

• A large sheet of coloured bristol board
• An empty paper towel roll
• A sheet of coloured paper to cover the roll
• A ruler
• A pencil
• Scotch tape
• A pair of scissors
• One or two thumbtacks
• One brass fastener
• Coloured markers, stamps, stickers, etc., to decorate the pinwheel

How to make it

• Cut the roll at about 20 cm long and then wrap it with a sheet of coloured paper. Fold the excess inside the edges of the roll and make it hold together with scotch tape.
• Smoothly poke a hole at the top of the roll (but not too near the edge) using a thumbtack... watch out for your fingers!
• On the bristol board, draw and cut off a square of about 20 cm by 20 cm. Then, find the center of the square and draw a small circle. Draw a line from each corner of the square towards the circle. 
• Now it's design time! Colour and decorate the paper. You can choose to decorate both sides if desired. 
• Starting from each corner, cut along the four lines, stopping at about 1 cm from circle (centre).
• On each right hand side of the triangles, draw a small dot roughly 1 cm away from the corner (this is where it will attach itself to the centre). Cover each of these marked corners with scotch tape (this will reinforce the corners and prevent it from ripping). Afterwards, with the help of a thumbtack, poke a hole through the little dots you drew. Refer to the picture below for more help.

• Fold each of the corners towards the centre, with all holes aligned with the middle. Slip the brass fastener through all the holes, all the way to the roll. Spread the clip apart inside the roll to secure everything in place. However, don't fasten it too tightly, or else it won't spin!
• And voila! You got yourself a pinwheel! Time to head outside and run in the wind to watch it spin! 
• To attach your pinwheel on a wooden stick, use a thumbtack rather than a fastener.