Fourth of July Pinwheel Activity

Are you looking for a fun activity to do with your kids in preparation of our nation’s birthday?

Well, look no further!  This pin wheel activity is cheap, fast, easy and FUN!  (My four favorite things)

For this activity, you will need:

• a plain piece of paper
• scissors
• crayons or markers
• pencil (with eraser)
• pin
• a bead

I betcha you have these items lying around your house!

Start by making a square out of the paper. 

The easiest way to do this is to fold the short end over to the long end creating a triangle. Cut off the excess. Unfold to find a perfect square!

Second, let the little ones decorate the paper.  Encourage them to decorate both sides as they will both show in the end product.  This was a great time to talk to my three-year-old about shapes.  He decided to do big squares.  Since it’s a Fourth of July craft, stars would also be applicable here. 

My little one chose squares. Which shapes will your little one choose?

Next, cut in on the diagonal lines until 2″ from the center. 

Be careful not to cut directly into the middle!

Next, use your pin and start putting one corner from each side through the center pin.

Keep going around the pin wheel until all four corners are through the pin. It's now starting to look like a pin wheel!

Put the pin through the back side of the pin wheel and thread with bead. 

The bead is VERY important. Without the bead, the pin wheel will not rotate.

Put the pin into the eraser end of the pencil.

Happy Fourth of July!!!