Memorial Day Pinwheels
I have fond memories of summer days playing with pinwheels when I was a child and I love that they are so easy for preschoolers to make and explore. These are a perfect project for Memorial Day because they can be taken to a parade or celebration and they are easy to color coordinate.
Start by collecting the following supplies:
- Scrapbook paper or colored copy paper (avoid construction paper and card stock because they are too heavy to turn in the wind)
- Sturdy plastic straws
- Metal brads
Next, determine what size you want your finished pinwheel to be. If you are using 12″x12″ or 8″x8″ scrapbook paper, which is already square, you will not have to trim it down. If you are using copy paper or 8.5″x11″ scrapbook paper then you will have to cut the paper down to a perfect square.
Once your paper is square, use a ruler to locate the center of the square and mark it with a pencil. Make a hole here with a push pin or thumbtack. Then use your ruler to draw lines from each corner of the paper into the center of the square, stopping roughly 2 inches from the middle (see diagram below).
Cut down each of the diagonal lines, and then fold every other corner into the center of the square.
Overlap the corners in the middle and use a metal brad to attach all of the layers of the paper to your straw.
Here are some close up photos so that you can see a little better:
