Twirligig Pumpkin Paper Spinner Toy

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Today I’m back with another kind of paper spinner toy—this time with a Halloween twist! This Pumpkin Paper Spinner is so fun! 

If you’ve seen my rainbow twirligig before, this one might look familiar. It’s made from paper strips attached to a wooden skewer, and when you spin it between your hands, it twirls into a beautiful round shape that looks like a ball in motion.

For fall, we decided to make a Pumpkin Twirligig! It spins just like the rainbow version, but this time the orange paper turns into a glowing jack-o’-lantern face as it twirls. It’s mesmerizing, simple to make, and a fun hands-on science lesson about energy and motion.

Watch The Pumpkin Paper Spinner:

Supplies You’ll Need

• Orange cardstock or printer paper

• Green paper (for the stem)

• 4 small circles (about 1½” diameter)

• Wooden skewer

• Glue stick + hot glue gun

• Scissors

How to Make the Twirligig Pumpkin Paper Spinner

1. Cut the Strips & Circles
Cut 8 strips of orange paper, each about 11 inches long and ½ inch wide.
You can use one sheet of orange paper for all the strips. Cut 4 green circles about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. I used a bottle cap to trace them. 

2. Attach Paper Strips to Circle
Rub glue all over one paper circle. Arrange one end of each strip evenly around the edge of the circle so the strips fan out like sun rays. You’ll need to add more glue as you go around. Glue another circle on top to secure the ends.

3. Form the Pumpkin Shape
Bring the other ends of the strips up and glue them onto another circle, forming a rounded “pumpkin” shape. Glue one last circle on top to hold everything together.

4. Add the Skewer
Use a pin or push pin to poke a small hole through the center of the circles. Insert the skewer straight through the middle.
Secure the top of the skewer with a dab of hot glue to hold it in place, but leave the bottom loose so it can spin freely.

5. Add a Green Stem or Leaf
Cut a small rectangle of green paper and glue it to the top as a stem. You can curl a tiny green paper strip for a vine if you like.

7. Spin It!
Hold the stick between your hands and roll it back and forth. Watch your pumpkin twirl into a round, smiling jack-o’-lantern!

The Science Behind the Spinning Paper Pumpkin Toy

This simple pumpkin spinner toy demonstrates potential and kinetic energy.

• When it’s still, it stores potential energy.

• When you spin it, that energy turns into kinetic energy.

It’s also a great example of Newton’s Third Law of Motion—for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction. The motion of your hands causes the paper spinner to twist and twirl in response.

Kids can experiment with:

• Different numbers of paper strips

• Shorter vs. longer strips

• Thicker vs. thinner paper
  and record which design spins fastest or looks most like a pumpkin in motion.

Educational Tie-Ins

• Science: Explore energy, motion, and air resistance.

• Art: Design different pumpkin faces or patterns.

• Math: Measure and cut equal-length strips and circles.

• Language Arts: Write a mini story or poem about your spinning pumpkin.

More Spinner & Motion Crafts

• Rainbow Twirligig Paper Spinner Toy

• Paper Pinwheels – With Templates

• Gravity Spinner Science Experiment

• Penny Spinners STEM Toy

• Water Sprinkler Toy Experiment

This Pumpkin Twirligig Paper Spinner is the perfect mix of art, motion, and science. It’s fast to make, fun to play with, and gives kids a chance to explore how energy and motion work in a hands-on way.

When it spins, the pumpkin seems to come alive—proof that science really can feel like magic!