Tag: pinwheel

Bonfire Night Pinwheels

Bonfire Night is a beloved event here in the UK but Fireworks are not for everyone. Here at Heathlands we have a number of individuals who do not enjoy the loud bangs and whistles that come with Bonfire Night.

With this in mind we thought we would share a fun craft activity to make a Catherine Wheel full of sparkle and no noise.

You will need:

  • Shiny card – we used gold
  • A ruler
  • Scissors
  • Drawing pin
  • Paper stick or paper straw
  • Loose tinsel (the kind you throw on your tree)
  • Sellotape

How to make your pinwheel

  1. Measure your card along the short side.
  2. Using your ruler, mark the same length on each long side. Join the marks up and cut to make your card into a square.
  3. Again, using your ruler, mark the centre of your square by lining up the opposite corners.
  4. From each corner draw a line towards the centre 10cm long.
  5. Cut along each of these lines.
  6. In the centre and on every other point on your card make a small hole with your pin.
  7. Bend each point with a hole into the middle, using your pin to join them all up, and put the pin through the middle and into your straw.
  8. Gather 8 pieces of tinsel and tape together in the middle. Fold this bundle in half and tape to one of the points of your pinwheel. Repeat this for all four points.
  9. Your silent Catherine Wheel is complete!

Daffodil Pinwheel

1st March is St. David’s Day, the patron saint of Wales. The national flower of Wales is the daffodil so to celebrate St. David’s Day we have a daffodil themed craft for you this week!

You will need:

  • Yellow card
  • Yellow paper
  • Green card
  • Paper fastener
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Glue stick

Step 1.

We’re going to start by preparing the main part of the daffodil (the pinwheel.) We need to start with a square, ours is 21 x 21 cm. Draw diagonal lines from corner to corner and then measure 5 cm out from the centre along each of the four lines.

Step 2.

Cut along the diagonal lines from the outside edge to the 5 cm line.

Step 3.

Using the pencil very carefully poke a small hole in the centre and at alternate ‘points’ of the square. Put this piece to one side for now.

Step 4.

Now we’re going to make the centre of the daffodil. Cut a strip of yellow paper 10 cm x 5 cm and mark a 1 cm strip along one long edge.

Step 5.

On the 1 cm strip that you’ve marked cut a series of slits from the long edge to the 1 cm line about 1 cm apart. On the other long edge cut lots of slits close together and about 2 cm long.

Step 6.

Put a line of glue along one of the short edges of the yellow paper strip and roll it into a tube and stick in place. Tuck the short tabs that you cut to the inside and cut and then glue a circle of yellow paper over the tabs. Use the pencil again to carefully poke a hole in the bottom of the circle. Put this part of the daffodil to one side.

Step 7.

Next we’re going to make the stem for our daffodil. Cut a piece of green card 10 cm wide and as long as you’d like the stem (ours is around 30 cm.) Divide the strip into four columns; three columns 3 cm wide and 1 column 1 cm wide. Fold along the lines you’ve marked.

Step 8.

Carefully poke a hole in the middle of one of the 3 cm columns about 3 cm from the top.

Step 9.

Now we’re ready to put everything together! Put the paper fastener through the hole in the base of the yellow paper section first and then through the holes in the corners of the pinwheel, working your way round in order. The paper fastener then goes through the hole in the centre of the pinwheel and lastly the hole in the green card. Fold down the edges of the paper fastener, making sure you leave enough slack for it to spin.

Step 10.

Finally, put glue along the 1 cm wide column of the green card and glue it to the edge of the furthest 3 cm column to make a prism.

Step 11.

You’re done! Take it outside to test it in the breeze (unless it’s raining!) Have fun and don’t forget to show us how you get on!