Pinwheel Craft for Kids

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Are you searching for a delightful and hands-on craft activity that will captivate your children’s imagination? Look no further than making a pinwheel! With just a few simple materials and a dash of creativity, kids can create their very own colorful pinwheels that spin with joy. In this blog post, we’ll explore the joy of crafting pinwheels and guide you through the process step-by-step. Get ready to watch your children’s faces light up as their handmade pinwheels twirl in the wind!

STEM Crafts for Summer

Crafting activities offer numerous benefits for children, from developing fine motor skills to nurturing their creativity and boosting their self-esteem. Making a pinwheel is a perfect craft project that combines art, engineering, and the joy of play. It encourages children to explore design concepts, experiment with different materials, and learn about the science of wind and motion. Whether it’s a sunny summer day or a breezy afternoon, pinwheels are a delightful way to engage children in a fun and interactive crafting experience.

In this blog post, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to create pinwheels with your children. From gathering the materials to adding personal touches, each stage of the crafting process will be explored in detail. We will discuss the materials needed, including watercolor paper, bamboo stick or skewer, and watercolor paint. Get ready for a craft adventure that will not only result in beautiful pinwheels but also leave your children with a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Making a pinwheel is not only a fun craft activity but also a wonderful opportunity to engage children in a hands-on exploration of basic engineering principles. As they assemble the pinwheels, children learn about structure, stability, and the importance of balance. They can experiment with different designs, sizes, and shapes to observe how these factors affect the spinning motion. Through this creative process, children develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and an understanding of cause and effect. So, get ready to unleash your children’s creativity and embark on a pinwheel-making adventure that will bring joy and learning into their lives.

WILL YOU MAKE THIS PINWHEEL CRAFT WITH YOUR KIDS? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Materials

  • Wooden clothespin
  • 4cm bolt with flat end and a nut
  • 2 x beads that fit over bolt
  • Scissors
  • Duct tape
  • Skewer 
  • Single Hole punch
  • White cardstock or watercolour paper
  • Pencil
  • Decorate:  markers, pencils, watercolour paints/tempera paint

How to Make A Pinwheel Crafts

  1. Wrap duct tape around the end of a clothespin several times. Then stick a bamboo skewer down the bottom of the clothespin through the duct tape.
  2. Push a screw through the top of the clothespin and then add a bead.
  3. Set it aside for now.

Time to Make the Pinwheel

  1. Fold the corner down on a sheet of white paper. Cut the left over piece off.
  2. Fold the square again to make a cross or ‘x’.
  3. Measure just past half way on the diagonal lines from the corners and mark an ‘x’ or a line.
  4.  Cut along the line to the x or line.
  5. Test to see if the corners will fold to the middle by lightly folding them down.
  6. Punch a hole on the right hand side of each triangle. 
  7. Make a hole in the center using a pencil.

Time To Decorate

  1. Decorate the pinwheel first with a black sharpie and them colour it in with water colour paint. Be sure not to add too much water.
  2. Dont forget to decorate the back of the triangle with the holes.
  3. Let it dry.

Time to Put it All Together

  1. Place the center of the pinwheel through the screw and carefully fold each corner down and line the holes with the screw.
  2. Add another bead and then secure it with the nut. 

Science Behind Pinwheels

Pinwheels are not just fun to play with; they also involve some cool science! Let’s explore the science behind pinwheels in a way that is easy for grade 1 students to understand.

A pinwheel has three important parts: the blades, the pin, and the straw or stick. When we blow on the pinwheel or the wind blows, it causes the blades to spin. But why does this happen? It’s because of something called “air” and “forces.”

Air is all around us, even though we can’t see it. When we blow on the pinwheel, we push the air. The air pushes back on the blades of the pinwheel, and this is called “air pressure.” The force of the air pressure makes the blades start to spin.

But why does the air pressure make the blades spin? It’s because of the shape of the blades and how they catch the wind. The blades of a pinwheel are shaped like little sails or scoops. When the wind blows, it hits the blades and pushes them. The force of the wind is stronger on one side of the blade than the other, and this difference in force makes the pinwheel spin around.

So, when we blow on a pinwheel or when the wind blows, it creates air pressure that pushes against the blades, and the shape of the blades catches the wind and makes the pinwheel spin. It’s like a fun dance between the air and the pinwheel!

Next time you play with a pinwheel, remember the science behind it. You can experiment with different sizes and shapes of blades to see how it affects the spinning. And don’t forget to have fun as you explore the fascinating world of pinwheels and the forces of air!

Age Suitability

This activity is good for kindergarten aged children 4 years old and up. My kids are 4.5, 4.5 and 8 years old.

Mess Level

The mess level for this activity is low.

Difficulty to Create 

Easy.

Skills Developed

Gross motor skills, language development, number recognition, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.

Materials

(This post and list contains affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I may earn a commission. Please visit my disclosure policy for more information.)

  • White watercolour paper
  • Scissors
  • Permanent marker
  • Glue
  • Large plate (to trace the face with)
  • tempera watercolour cakes/paint,
  • bowl of water paintbrush
  • Oil Pastels or crayons
  • Glitter

Books, TV Show & Play Kits!

Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more. 

Find out more and grab your copy here.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids

Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles that show them how to think outside the box.

  • 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
  • Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
  • Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.

Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!

Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.

TV Show: Curious Crafting

I’m so excited to finally share my new crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched July 1 at on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube!

Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.

In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create. 

Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.

This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up. 

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

WILL YOU MAKE THIS PINWHEEL CRAFT WITH YOUR KIDS? PIN IT FOR LATER!

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