Pinwheels are classic children's toys that you can make at home with materials you have on hand. Since they are wind powered, they are a perfect toy for spring. If there's no breeze outside, children can get them spinning by running around, blowing on them or holding them near a fan. This is an easy craft that children can make with just a little help from an adult.
Materials
You'll need a piece of square paper. Using lightweight paper might be easier, but card stock will make a sturdier pinwheel. Strong construction paper is a good compromise.
Ideally, the paper should be printed on both sides; if not, consider decorating the paper before you start.
To make a square out of a rectangular piece of paper, fold one bottom corner to the opposite edge of the paper until the bottom edge is aligned with the side edge and forms a triangle. Cut off the excess paper.
In addition to the paper, other things you need for this project are scissors, an unsharpened pencil with an eraser and a push pin with a head. If you want to be very exact, use a ruler as well. If you're decorating the paper, you will need markers, crayons or anything else you want to use to personalize your pinwheel.
Prepare the Paper
If you are decorating your paper, do it now. Coloring the paper will add visual interest to the pinwheel as it spins. Keep in mind that thin lines or small dots won't be as noticeable as bold ones as the pinwheel spins. You might find it fun to experiment with your child, since the supplies are on hand anyway and the pinwheels are easy to make. Decorate both sides of the paper.
After decorating, lay the paper down and turn it so the top is a point and you're looking at a diamond.
Fold the top corner to the bottom corner to form a triangle and make a sharp crease.
Unfold, then rotate the paper until the next point is at the top. Fold that point down as you did the last, then unfold it.
You'll see the creases make a cross pattern on the paper. We'll call the crease from one corner of the paper to the center a half-crease; you have four half-creases. These folds will be your cutting guides.
Use a ruler to make a mark a point about two-thirds of the way down each half-crease. Cut down each half-crease from the point to the mark.
Folding and Pinning
Here comes the tricky part. You've got four triangular sections now, their points joined in the middle. Pull the left point of every section to the middle so the point is slightly beyond the center. The points will be stacking on one another. Don't fold the paper, but curl it since you're making loops.
If you are using card stock, this part can be a bit difficult, since the paper wants to spring back, especially when you're trying to hold four points down. One trick is to poke your pin up through the center of your paper, then push the points down over the pin. Once they're all in place, you have to take the pin out, while still holding the points in place. Another trick is to glue each point down as you go.
Next, poke the pin through all four points and the center, then push the side of the pencil eraser into the pin. If you have trouble sticking the pin into the side of the eraser, you can push the pinwheel and pin onto the top of the eraser so the pinwheel and pencil form a T. The pinwheel will still work.
Run with the pinwheel so the face of it---the side with the points curled into the center---is facing the same direction that you are.
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