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How to Make Pinwheels -With Templates

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If you have ever wanted to know how to make pinwheels, I have a simple tutorial for you today. Plus I have some printable templates to make it all easier on you!  I have three styles of pinwheel templates you can choose from. See also my Twirligig~ Rainbow Paper Spinner Toy.

how to make pinwheels

This week, we are focused on the theme of weather. These colorful pinwheels are the perfect little craft or activity to make with kids when talking about wind. They are so much fun to make and to play with.

Some of the weather activities we have done include: Cloud 2D Shapes, Homemade Thermometer, Homemade Wind Vane,  Solar S’Mores

 

How to Make Pinwheels

pinwheel templates

To make pinwheels, you just need a couple of things.  We made ours with a paper straw, a straight pin like you would use for sewing, and a piece of paper using our printable template. Scrapbook paper would be fun to use as well because you would have contrasting colors and prints! (This pinwheel craft can also be done with a pencil and then you would stick the pin or a thumbtack into the pencil eraser.)

Download the FREE  Pinwheel Template (3 Styles) Now!

Instructions to Make a Paper Pinwheel:

One you print the templates, use scissors and cut them out following the dashed lines by cutting just along or outside the diagonal.

make a paper pinwheel

Next you will need a straight pin and a straw. Gently bring in the corners of the pinwheel to the center. You do not want to fold the paper, just round it inward. (Little hands may need a little help with this step!)  Push the pin through each of the dots and then push all of them together through the center dot.

Push the pin all the way through a straw to attach the pinwheel.

paper pinwheel template

We then used some needle nose pliers to bed the end of the pin downward at a 90 degree angle to secure it and keep it in place. Don’t do it too tight or it will not spin!

easy paper pinwheels

Now you just need to blow it and watch it whirl!

homemade pinwheel

Take it outside when the wind is blowing and see if you can catch the wind to make it spin, too!

Let kids use their own creativity to color and decorate these DIY pinwheels with their own artwork as desired.

This paper pinwheel would be fun to pair with my homemade wind vane to figure out which direction the wind is blowing.

Download your Free Printable Pinwheel Template Now! 

make pinwheels with a template

See More Fun Paper Crafts:

Origami Basketball Math Game

How to Make a Paper Fortune Teller ~ or Cootie Catcher

Paper Stellated Dodecahedron With a Template

Six Paper Tricks That Seem Like Magic!

Engineering: Make Paper Hold Up Books!

 

See More Spinning Toys:

STEM Toy: Penny Spinners

Gravity Experiment: Gravity Spinner Toy

Space STEM: Shooting Star Spinner Toy

Twirligig~ Rainbow Paper Spinner Toy

 

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