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How to Make a Mini Paper Pinwheel

With a few readily available household materials and a small amount of effort, you can create a paper pinwheel to serve as a toy or a decoration. Young children will enjoy running around or blowing on the sails to make them spin, while a few pinwheels planted in the ground can add a playful touch of color to your yard.

Things You'll Need

4-inch paper square
Scissors
Thumbtack
Drinking straw
Eraser

Instructions

- 1
  Fold the paper diagonally so that opposite corners meet. Unfold, then refold so that the other pair of opposite corners meet. Unfold the paper. The resulting creases should form an X-shape reaching all four corners.
- 2
  Cut along the creases, starting at each corner and ending the cut halfway to the center of the square.
- 3
  Poke a hole in the center of the square with the point of the thumbtack, moving it around in small circles to enlarge the hole slightly. In the same manner, poke a hole 1/4 inch from the bottom and 1/2 inch from the right edge of the paper. Rotate the paper and poke holes in matching positions in the remaining three corners.
- 4
  Cut off a small piece of the eraser, about 1/2 inch cubed.
- 5
  Fold the punctured corners in to the center so that the five holes you poked are all aligned. Thread the thumbtack through the existing holes, poke it through the tip of the straw and secure it in the piece of eraser. Test the pinwheel to make sure it spins freely, and loosen the thumbtack slightly if necessary. Trim the straw to the desired length to finish the mini pinwheel.

Backyard Toys