Big Ideas for Little People: Paper Pinwheels!

So, I'm slowly learning that when I find, or come up with, a great idea, I dive in before I've put thought into how to see it through to the beginning. Is anyone else like that? When I was thinking of something fun and easy to make with Tully, I came across these pinwheels. And before you could say, "Do we actually have any timber dowel to finish them off?", we were drawing lines and colouring in.

I have to say I was SO surprised as I watched Tully colour in his triangles. I didn't know he could colour in the lines! And he stayed tuned in till he'd finished colouring in each one. And you can see that I'd finished mine in the background and had time to take photos. Go Tully!

So to make these fun pinwheels, cut out a square (we used a big square from card, another unthoughtful decision because then we couldn't use a pencil to hold it in the end), and draw lines diagonally across, from corner to corner, through the centre. The colour in the triangles.

Cut along the lines, about two-thirds to the centre. I cut to the '11' and '15' on my ruler here.

 
Fold one corner, the same one, from each triangle, into the centre and pin. If you have them, (we didn't end up using them. You'll see why...) add some beads to the back on the pin so the paper doesn't stick on the dowel.

Ask Tim if you have any timber dowel lying around. No? Sit and feel a bit impatient while Mummy and Daddy come up with plan 'b'...

We used a scrap piece of timber and a small nail. Hurray for Tim!

Then, spin around and around really fast and watch it go!