How to Make a Windmill Fold

Making a windmill fold is a great craft project for kids and adults. It takes only the minimum materials and can be done quickly. It can even be customized with words, colors and glitter. Windmills have been a featured item in the art of origami. Once finished, take them out in the wind to see their true magic. Children will get hours of fun from not only making the windmill, but also playing with them.

Things You'll Need

• Paper Scissors Straight pin Pencil and eraser

Instructions

1. Take the piece of paper and fold it diagonally. Make sure the corners match up perfectly. Do this by bringing the lower-right corner over to the upper-left corner. Put a crease in the paper by moving your fingernail along the folded edge.

2. Fold the paper again by bringing the lower-left corner over to the upper-right corner. Ensure that the corners match up again. Make another crease from the technique used in Step 1.

3. Open the paper and lay it flat. The creases should be present as an X on the paper.

4. Take the scissors and cut along each line of the X. Stop when you have gotten within 1 inch of the center on each side.

5. Bring the top-right corner down and hold it in the center. Do the same with the other corners until you are holding all of them in the center. Keep them in place with a straight pin.

6. Hold the eraser at the back of the piece of paper and stick the straight pin through it. The eraser will hold the pin in place. The pointed end of the pencil should be pointing downward. You have now completed the project of making a windmill fold.

Tips & Warnings

• Take a marker or crayon and color every other section of the windmill. This will give a colorful effect when it is spinning. You can also try different colors for a rainbow effect. Add glitter to every other section with glitter glue from a craft store. This will increase the appeal of the windmill when it is blowing in the wind. Wrap satin ribbon around the pencil to conceal it.

• It is best not to let small children play with straight pins. You can allow them decorate and cut the paper, but when it comes to sticking it together, you should do it yourself. Give small children age-appropriate scissors. There are craft scissors made just for children that do not have sharp edges.