Making Acrylic Wind Spinners

Which way is the wind blowing?

Here is a fun children's craft to make to them about wind and weather. Let them help make an acrylic wind spinner out of a 2-liter soda bottle, then hang it outside to see which way the wind blows. This project can be plain and simple, or you can let the children use acrylic paint to make it bright and colorful.

Things You'll Need

• 2-liter plastic soda bottle, clean and dry with label removed Scissors or craft knife Hole punch Fishing swivel Heavy duty string or wire Lengths of colorful ribbon

Instructions

Make a wind spinner out of a soda bottle

1. Empty and clean a 2-liter pop bottle, and then cut the top and bottom off.

2. Help your child paint the bottle in alternating bright-colored stripes with acrylic paint. Allow paint to dry.

3. Cut the painted plastic tube into a spiral, just as if you were peeling an apple all in one piece.

4. Cut the end in a straight line, so that is squared, and then use a hole punch to make a hole in it for hanging.

5. 

   Hook a fishing swivel through the hole, and attach heavy duty string to the other end of the swivel. That's the string you'll use for hanging.

6. Cut strips of colorful ribbon and put a hole in the top of each one. String them together and tie to the bottom of the spinner for added color and motion. You can add small wind chimes, too.

7. Now you can hang the spinner in a good breezy place, and let the kids watch which way the wind blows.

Tips & Warnings

• Also, you can cut the big bottle in half, then make half-inch strips from top to bottom. Put a hole in the bottom and top of each strip and string them on a piece of wire with a bead between each one, as in the picture. To use a smaller bottle: With a craft knife, make four or five long half moon-shape cuts around the outside of the bottle, going in the same direction. Bend them out, leaving the half moon-shape holes. Hang the bottle, or place it upside down on a stick. When the wind blows, the bottle will twirl.