![[For Kids] Spins in the wind! A collection of recommended DIY pinwheel ideas](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/s2jNtt-7QRU/sddefault.jpg)
[For Kids] Spins in the wind! A collection of recommended DIY pinwheel ideas
A pinwheel that spins round and round using only the power of the wind—no batteries or electricity needed.
If you’re an adult, did you ever make one long ago with paper and a stick?
It looks simple to make, but I remember the construction being surprisingly delicate.
These days, though, there are lots of easy ideas for pinwheels that spin really well!
You can use materials other than paper, and you can make them in all sorts of shapes.
In this article, we’re sharing plenty of handmade pinwheel ideas for kids.
Use the article as a guide and try making your own unique, wonderful pinwheel to play with!
[For Kids] Spin in the Wind! A Collection of Recommended DIY Pinwheel Ideas (1–10)
Spinning Pinwheel
Make it with three sheets of origami! Let me show you a fun pinwheel idea.
All you need is origami paper in your favorite colors or patterns, plus a craft knife or scissors.
First, use the knife or scissors to cut each of the three sheets of origami paper into four equal pieces.
Then fold the parts and assemble them—that’s it! The folding is simple and easy to understand, but some children may find the assembly step a bit tricky.
Take your time and put the pieces together carefully.
Hold it gently as if pinching it with the pads of both index fingers, and blow—whoosh!—it will spin around.
Paper Cup Windmill
Here’s a paper cup windmill you can make using a common paper cup.
Prepare a paper cup, a chopstick, a felt-tip pen, and a thumbtack, and let’s get started.
Use the felt-tip pen to mark the rim of the cup into eight equal sections.
From each mark, cut a slit downward to create eight cuts.
Fold each cut section outward at an angle to form the rotating blades.
Folding them diagonally improves airflow and makes it easier to spin—this is the key point.
Poke a hole in the center of the cup, then use the thumbtack to fix it to the chopstick, and you’re done! Wrapping the blade sections with vinyl tape as decoration will make it look more vibrant.
Windmill made with two sheets of origami
Here’s how to make a pinwheel out of origami paper.
Prepare two sheets of origami and stick them together with the colored sides facing out.
Fold the paper in half into a triangle twice, then unfold it completely.
Cut along the crease lines toward the center, stopping at about two-thirds of the way.
Put double-sided tape in the center, then fold each corner in and stick it to the tape to form the blades.
Once the blades are done, push a thumbtack through the center and attach it to a chopstick to finish.
For safety, wrap tape around the lower part of the chopstick to protect it—it’s a great way to enjoy it safely.
Feel free to mix and match colors and patterns of origami to your liking!
Tulip Windmill
Let me introduce a cute tulip flower pinwheel.
Prepare some wooden chopsticks, construction paper, and rubber bands, and let’s get started.
Wrap a slightly thicker rubber band inside the chopsticks.
Thread on a small cut-out circle, then the main tulip piece.
Next, slide on a large circle with slits, and finally insert the spacer, then secure the rubber band at the top.
Bring the slitted template to the top, and pass each tulip petal through the slits at the protruding triangular parts of the petals to complete the tulip.
The petals will stay firmly in place by folding down the top parts.
Attach leaves at the bottom to make an adorable tulip.
Cardboard pinwheel
Let’s make a real windmill! Here are some windmill ideas using cardboard.
What you’ll need: cardboard, bamboo skewers, a straw, craft glue, scissors, and a utility knife.
One of the best parts is how cool the finished design looks.
After cutting the cardboard into parts, assemble them using craft glue.
Another great point is that the materials are easy to find.
You can keep the natural cardboard color, or try painting it with paints for a fun look.
Plastic bottle windmill
Introducing a simple pinwheel you can make with a plastic bottle.
Get a plastic bottle, an awl, permanent markers, and a hanger ready.
Use the awl to make a hole in the bottom of the bottle.
Color the sides of the bottle with your favorite permanent marker colors.
Use a utility knife to cut slits in the side of the bottle, then fold them outward at an angle to create six blades.
Thread the hanger through the bottom of the bottle, bend the tip with pliers so it won’t slip out, add a straw, and you’re done.
When the blades spin, the colors you drew with the permanent markers whirl beautifully, making a lovely pinwheel!
Figure-eight pinwheel made from paper plates
Here’s how to make a figure-eight pinwheel using paper plates.
Prepare two paper plates, double-sided tape, a large bead, a bamboo skewer, glue, and masking tape.
Cut out the centers of the two paper plates, make four holes, and combine them with double-sided tape so they form a figure-eight.
Then make a hole at the center of the figure-eight.
Put glue into the hole of the bead, insert the bamboo skewer, and let it set at the tip.
Insert the bamboo skewer through the center of the paper plates, and wrap masking tape around the skewer near the center so the plates don’t slide down.
Fix the second plate the same way with masking tape, and your paper-plate pinwheel is complete.
Give it a try!
A pinwheel made with a clear file
Let me introduce a pinwheel that spins in the wind.
Prepare a hanger, a clear file folder, pliers, scissors, and a felt-tip pen, and let’s get started.
Cut the clear file into a square and draw lines in an X shape to create the base for the blades.
Mark the center and the four corners, then punch holes.
Following the X lines, make one slit at a time with scissors, cutting toward the center.
Lift the four cut corners one by one, align them at the center, and staple to secure—this completes the blade base.
Insert a straw as the axle and attach the blades to the center of the hanger, then secure with pliers.
Your spinning pinwheel is complete!
paper pinwheel
It spins amazingly well when it catches the wind! Let me share an idea for a paper pinwheel.
You’ll need a decoration ring, a bamboo skewer, tape, a pencil, and scissors.
A decoration ring is a strip of paper; you can make it by cutting origami or other paper into long strips about 2 cm wide.
The steps are simple and easy to understand, so it’s a great craft for kids.
Since there’s a step where you cut the bamboo skewer, be sure to proceed with safety in mind.
A windmill that flies like a kite
Let me introduce a pinwheel that flies high in the sky like a kite.
Prepare A4 drawing paper, a ruler, string, and scissors, and let’s make it.
Cut the A4 drawing paper into a square, then use the ruler to draw lines connecting opposite corners to make an X.
Using scissors, cut along each line about two thirds of the way toward the center.
Fold and glue the cut corners toward the center to form the blades.
Use a thin straw as the base, wrap a small rectangle of drawing paper around it to create the axle for the pinwheel.
Make a hole in the center of the blades, insert the axle, and fix it with glue.
Thread the string through the hole in the center of the axle, tie the cut straw to both sides, and it’s done! If you prepare a long string and let it up into the sky, the pinwheel will spin in the wind.