The Autumn wind is blustery and cold! We love this pinwheel project, built by our friend Kobi over at Little Things. Kobi is a Waldorf teacher and mother who creates beautiful spaces and opportunities to learn in her classroom and home. You'll create a colorful pinwheel using folded kite paper and a stick you can find on your next nature walk or in your own backyard. This is the perfect addition to your nature table and really fun to make!
Gathering Your Materials
- Kite paper
- Scissors
- School glue
- Hot Glue
- Hole punch
- Small branch or stick
- Sandpaper
- Small gold brad
- Thin piece of cardboard
- Small bead or button
Making Your Autumn Pinwheel
Choose a selection of Autumnal colored kite paper. You'll want at least 2-4 colors. Our Waldorf Window Star paper has a lovely selection of oranges, yellow and reds to choose from.
Fold your paper in half, and then in half again, creating 4 squares. Use scissors to cut along the folds, leaving you with 4 squares. Repeat this step for each color of paper you chose.
Cut each square in half to create 8 triangles. Use extra kite paper to cut 2 circles, 1 slightly larger than the other. You can use two different sizes of coins for these two circles.
Next, glue the center point of your first triangle to the center point of your larger circle. Repeat this step by lining your second triangle up with the center of your first, and so on.
Repeat for all triangles! Try your best to line your triangles up before glueing them down. You'll end up with a series of overlapping paper and will be ready to create that classic pinwheel shape.
Fold an upper outer corner down to the center, as shown in the photo below. Add a drop of glue and secure. Repeat this step for each triangle, creating a loop to catch the blowing breeze. Finish it by gluing your smaller circle over the center points.
Make a hole in the center of your pinwheel using a hole punch. Cut a small piece of cardboard, roughly half an inch, to secure your pinwheel to using the metal brad. Leave some wiggle room to allow the pinwheel to spin. Adding a small bead or button between the pin and cardboard will ensure there's enough space.
Place your paper wheel aside for a moment and sand your stick to make it smooth with your sandpaper.
Once smooth, use your hot glue to attach the cardboard square to your stick. Wrap the pieces around the back of the stick and secure with more hot glue.
Enjoy your Autumn pinwheel in the blustery wind of Fall! Thank you again to Kobi for sharing this classic craft with us. You can follow her on Instagram at Little Things for more inspiration.
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