Enjoy this DIY craft!
- Does your little one ever ask, “How does the wind work?” Spend time together discovering what the wind can do with this craft that blends kinetic art and science. A pinwheel may be just a simple toy, but it is also a valuable lesson in force and resistance. Ask your child to describe how it feels trying to ride a bicycle in the wind or run in a pool of water. It is difficult because the air or water is working against you and slowing you down. It’s the same idea with a pinwheel; the wind hits the surface of the pinwheel and force is created by the resistance of the blades. It’s the rotating design that causes them to move. A greater force will have more impact on the movement. You can extend the idea by asking what other items are shaped in similar ways (a propeller). What household item could you use to increase the force? What happens when you remove a blade? Or two on opposite sides? Imagine if you built a giant pinwheel and could harness its energy? What would you do with it?
Materials for Pinwheel:
- Colorful paper (card stock, scrapbook paper, etc.)
- Scissors
- Ruler
- New, unsharpened pencils with erasers
- Push pins
- White glue
- Sharpened pencil
How to make a paper pinwheel:
- Use the ruler to measure and cut a 6″ square out of the decorative paper.
- Use a ruler and pencil to draw lines from each corner of the square to create 4 triangles.
- Cut on each line, leaving enough room to glue your corners to the middle of the square.
- Place a small amount of glue in the center of the paper.
- Bring one corner of the square to the center of the paper and hold in place until the glue dries.
- Continue bringing in each corner to the center and glue each to the other points of the paper.
- After all the corners are glued to the center of the square, set aside to let it dry.
- When completely dry, press a thumb tack into the center of the pinwheel.
- Press the remainder of the thumb tack into the eraser of the unsharpened pencil.
- Now you’re ready to take it for a spin.
Literacy Connection: Pinwheel by Salina Yoon is a unique and interactive board book for both infants and preschoolers. It uses the transformative energy of a pinwheel to turn a carousel horse, fireworks, and a sunflower into a mesmerizing pattern of colors and shapes.
