Literary Spin: Crafting a Book Pinwheel for Young Readers

Here at Once Upon a Book Club, tweens have a special place in our hearts. Their natural curiosity and lively imaginations make the world an exciting place. We’re all about interactive experiences, and bookish crafts are wonderful for young readers as they combine a love of books with hands-on creativity. Enter our craft of the month—the book pinwheel. 

This project is perfect for tweens who love themes like space, fantasy, and adventure. They are going to have so much fun transforming an old book into a fabulous pinwheel, and what could be better than creating a charming decoration that celebrates the joy of reading? 

How To Make a Pinwheel

Grab your tween and embark on a treasure hunt to gather the magical materials needed to create a one-of-a-kind pinwheel! It’s the ideal time to bond over a snack as you decide on which themes appeal to you the most! We have some great ideas to get you started, but first, let’s dive into what you need and how to make your pinwheel.

Materials Needed

• An old paperback book or printed pages from a favorite story (you can also use blank pages and decorate them with quotes or your own works of art)
• Scissors
• A ruler
• A pencil
• A pin or a thumbtack
• A small bead
• A wooden dowel or a sturdy straw
• Glue stick or double-sided tape
• Decorative elements (stickers, markers, glitter)

It’s time to get crafting!

Instructions

Step 1: Choose the Right Pages

This part is so much fun! It’s couch time while you sit back and choose the perfect pages from an old paperback book, or you can even print out pages from their favorite story. Remember, the more vibrant and engaging the text and illustrations, the more visually appealing your pinwheel will be!

Step 2: Measure and Cut the Squares

Measure and mark squares on the book pages using a ruler and pencil. The size of the squares can vary, but a 6-inch square is a good standard size for a pinwheel. There is nothing like a bit of fine motor skill practice for your tween, as they must carefully cut out the squares with scissors. You will need two squares to create one pinwheel.

Step 3: Decorate the Squares

Let their creativity shine by decorating the squares with stickers, markers, or glitter. It is the perfect moment to encourage your tween to get imaginative and personalize their pinwheel with exciting elements from their theme.

Step 4: Cut the Diagonals

Next up, you need to take one square and draw two diagonal lines from corner to corner, forming an "X" in the center of the square. Do the same with the second square. Using scissors, carefully cut along each diagonal line, stopping about an inch from the center of the square. This will create four triangular flaps on each square.

Step 5: Assemble the Pinwheel

Get ready for assembly time. Firstly, you need to place one decorated square on top of the other, making sure the edges are aligned—remember to ensure that the decorated sides are facing outwards. 

Now you can apply a small amount of glue or double-sided tape in the center to hold the squares together. Next, gently lift one flap from each corner and bring it toward the center, securing each flap in the center with glue or tape. Repeat this process for all four corners, alternating flaps from each square to create a layered effect.

Step 6: Attach the Pin

Once the pinwheel is assembled, insert a pin or thumbtack through the center where all the flaps meet. Push the pin through a small bead to create a bit of space for the pinwheel to spin. Then, attach the pin to the top of a wooden dowel or a sturdy straw, making sure that the pinwheel can spin freely on the dowel.

Step 7: Add Final Touches

Now that your pinwheel is complete, you can add any final decorative touches, like wrapping the dowel or straw with colorful tape or ribbon or even adding more stickers. Life is too short for just one sticker!

Themed Ideas for Your Pinwheel

Space Theme

Decorations: You can use stickers of stars, planets, rockets, and astronauts or even draw your own constellations and galaxies on the book pages. Glitter is a fun way to represent stars and sparkly planets!

Colors: Dark blue, black, and silver colors are perfect for mimicking the night sky.

If your tween can’t get enough of space, you will definitely want to check out “The Shapeshifter” full book box featuring a hardcover edition of Trouble in the Stars by Sarah Prineas plus three adorably wrapped gifts that bring this out-of-this-world adventure to LIFE!

Fantasy Theme

Decorations: Why not draw your own castles or magical creatures like dragons, unicorns, and fairies? Metallic markers will add a touch of magical shimmer!

Colors: We’re thinking about vibrant and mystical colors like purple, gold, and emerald green.

Adventure Theme

Decorations: You could add treasure maps, chests, compasses, or explorer icons. And for those of you who are artistic, you can add mountains, rivers, and adventurous paths.

Colors: Earthy tones like brown, green, and blue are perfect for representing nature and exploration.

We know your adventurous tween will love “The Brave Explorer” book box featuring The Adventure is Now by Jess Redman, plus three gifts that bring this amazing book to life! Boxes also include a signed bookplate from the author!

Conclusion

Crafting a book pinwheel together creates memories, allows you to bond while having fun, and is a great way to combine a love of books with hands-on creativity. There are some hidden benefits as well, like giving your tween the freedom to express their creativity and imagination while helping them develop their fine motor skills, patience, and attention to detail.

Bookish crafts celebrate the joy of reading while having a whole lot of fun – just like our tween book box subscriptions. If you’re looking for a fun way to foster a love for reading, then our book boxes are just what you need!