Kids will enjoy making these DIY 4th of July pinwheels and the best part is that it is easy! I have free templates you can print off and cut out and a few minutes later…pinwheels.
WHAT IS A PINWHEEL?
When I think of pinwheel sometimes food comes to mind. Tortilla pizza pinwheels are a favorite of mine, LOL. Food pinwheels are made by rolling different ingredients up in a tortilla or crust of some kind and cutting them into slices. The slices show the inside ingredients and people think they look like pinwheels.
Today we are going to make toy pinwheels. These are colored vanes attached to a stick of some kind that spins in the wind.
WHAT PAPER IS BEST FOR PINWHEELS?
Many crafts are picky about what supplies will work best. These 4th of July pinwheels are so easy to make and the paper you pick is versatile.
I used white cardstock for mine so they would be a little sturdier. Living in Kansas we typically have a lot of wind to deal with.
Regular weight copy paper works for this DIY 4th of July craft. Scrapbooking paper would also work…even if it has a texture.
If you use the templates I am providing, they will be printed on 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper. So larger-sized craft paper may need to be cut down to size.
CAN I USE THESE 4TH OF JULY PINWHEELS OUTSIDE?
The answer is yes you can use these DIY 4th of July pinwheels outside. They aren't meant to be staked in your flower bed though. Since they are made with paper they can't withstand wind and weather.
The pinwheels will be perfectly fine being held outside by kids and adults alike.
SUPPLIES NEEDED TO MAKE PINWHEELS
I love easy crafts and this one definitely qualifies. The list of supplies required to make colorful 4th of July pinwheels is short!!
- Printed paper pinwheel templates (link to print is further down in the post)
- Scissors
- Brads (1/4″ or larger)
- Plastic straws
- Hole punch (1/8″ works best if you have one)
HOW TO MAKE 4TH OF JULY PINWHEELS AT HOME
Grab your kids and make enough pinwheels for everyone who will be at your 4th of July celebration. These easy steps will have you done with this DIY project in no time.
STEP ONE: PRINT PINWHEEL TEMPLATES
Start by printing off one or all of the downloadable printable pinwheel templates. There are 7 different templates with different patterns and colors you can choose from.
Click the button below to download the templates.
STEP TWO: CUT
Grab some sharp scissors or a paper trimmer and cut the template out along the dotted lines. You will see dotted lines that go diagonally toward the center. Only cut where the line is dotted.
STEP THREE: ASSEMBLE PINWHEELS
It will look like your square has four triangles. You want to punch a hole in the corner of each triangle so that when you bring the triangle corners to the center the holes will match up and can be secured with the brad.
The most important thing to remember in this step is to punch the same corner on each triangle.
You can always practice bringing the corners to the center so you know you have the right corners to punch.
Once you have the corners punched, punch another hold right in the middle of the square where you will secure the corners.
Use a brad to secure the corners.
STEP FOUR: ADD STRAW HANDLE
Now it is time for the final step, adding the straw handle to the pinwheel.
Flatten out the end portion of the straw so that you can use the hole punch to punch a hole through the straw.
Put the brad through the straw so the pinwheel is on the front of the straw. Unfold the brad tines out so it is secure.
To make the pinwheel spin, don't secure the tines really tightly, leave a little wiggle room.
PRINTABLE 4TH OF JULY PINWHEEL INSTRUCTIONS
If you want to print the instructions for these easy 4th of July pinwheels, you can do it via the DIY card below.
I would love it if you could leave me a 5-star rating on this craft! It would mean a lot to me.
DIY Printable 4th of July Pinwheels
These fun and colorful 4th of July pinwheel toys are fast and easy to make with the printable templates provided.
Materials
- Printed paper pinwheel templates--as many as you want, printed on cardstock or regular paper
- Brads (1/4″ or larger)
- Plastic straws (one for each pinwheel you make)
- Hole punch (1/8″ works best if you have one)
Tools
- Scissors
Instructions
- Print off the pinwheel templates. One template for each pinwheel you wish to make.
- Cut the template out following the dotted lines only!
- Punch a hole in the very center of the template.
- Punch a hole in the same corner of each triangle. These corners will be brought to the center and secured with a brad.
- Flatten the end of the straw and punch a hole about 1/2 inch down. Secure the pinwheel to the straw using the brad.
If you are looking for more 4th of July fun…be sure to check out these ideas!
- Crackle Pop 4th of July Banner
- 4th of July Color Pages
- Free 4th of July Printable Fans
- Easy Patriotic Berry Pie
Be sure to PIN this for later and SHARE on Facebook!
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