The kids and I have been getting excited about DIY Paper Toys these past few months. As they get older and more “able”, it has been super fun exploring all the great things you can do with paper. So it was only a matter of time before we had a go at making a DIY Paper Spinner. Not only were they super fun to make.. but they provide a great STEAM activity for anyone learning about colour theory. It is simply so MAGICAL to see colour theory in action RIGHT BEFOR YOUR EYES.
We made a set of plain spinners (for the kids to colour themselves and to experiment with colours, patterns and designs), but also a set of PRINTABLES! The printables are particularly useful for a classroom setting or if you have LESS TIME, but still want to make this easy paper toy. But I do encourage you to go freestyle, use a plate as a stencil and have fun!
DIY Paper Spinners – Materials:
- Paper
- Card
- String
- Pens
- Scissors
- Glue stick
Optional – your free templates
———> Get your BLANK TEMPLATES (with patterns) Here <———
———-> Get your COLOUR THEORY TEMPLATES Here <———-
DIY Paper Spinners How To:
Either watch this simple video or read the written instructions below!
We also made an emoji spinner version
- Either print out two circles from the templates above OR get a small paper plate (approx 10-12cm in diamater and draw two circles).
- Colour in your circles any way you wish. The colours will “mix” on any concentric circles. (see video for the effect). Be bold and experiment with different designs and patterns.
- Cut our your circles.
- Stick the first circle on some cardboard.
- Cut out the cardboard circle now.
- Stick the second circle on to the back.
- Make two small holes (approx 1cm apart, if not 8mm) on either side of the centre of the circle – the templates have markings for this.
- Thread string approx 40cm in length through and tie.
Have a go at spinning!!
This Paper Spinner really shows colour theory well – you can see how the outer red/ yellow rim turns orange, the blue/ yellow goes a light blue/ green and the red/blue turns a lovely purple. Awesome colour wheel theory exploration!
WHITE LIGHT: when this rainbow spinner is going fast enough it actually appears as white every so often – confirming that “white light” is made up of all the colours of the rainbow. For an accurate “white light”, you would probably have to adjust the proportion of each colour correctly, as well as get it spinning really fast.
The kids also had great fun designing their own spinners. They started off with “plain sections” and then looked at what happened when they added red dots and blue zig zags. I think we love these ones best! But they take more time to make as you need time for decorating!
At first it is tricky to get the spin going.. but keep practicing and it will get easier. Once the spin is going, you can relax your hands a little, this will allow for the spinner to “reload in reverse” and keep going!!!!
ENJOY!
We have more DIY Paper Toys for your here:
Enjoy your Paper Spinner!!!!
thanks for this it is great!!
the only thing is that the spinner goes wobbly at the full spin and then when you pull the string tight again. Do you know why or what could cause this
thanks
🙂 Sara
Yes we sometime get that too – a shorter string sometimes helps with that.. else it is just practice!!!
I love all your ideas. The children I nanny for love your paper spinners.
I just want to thank you for all your creative projects. I work at a museum here in New York and I have used several of your projects to inspire the kids we work with here (all with proper link backs to you of course!)
Thanks you for all you do.
Oh wow, thank you so much! Very pleased to hear you are enjoying the ideas here!! 🙂