In Missing May, Ob crafts detailed, beautiful whirligigs. You can make whirligigs of your own with a few simple supplies!
What you’ll need:
Sturdy construction paper or cardboard
Scissors
A sharpened pencil with a large eraser on the end
A small paper clip
2 small extra erasers
Now, put it all together!
- Using the scissors, cut the construction paper in the shape of wings. The shape that works best looks like a long oval with points on the top and bottom, rather than rounded edges. Feel free to try out different shapes! Just make two wings that are the same shape and size.
- Unbend the paper clip and flatten it out into one straight wire. Carefully poke one end through the middle of the pencil eraser. Pull the paper clip through so that an even amount shows on each side of the eraser.
- Punch one end of the paper clip through the center of one construction paper wing, and slide the wing along the paper clip toward the eraser. Do the same with the other wing, on the other side of the paper clip.
- Now that you have one whirligig wing on each side of the eraser, it’s time to put those extra erasers to use! Push one end of the paper clip through one of the erasers, and move that eraser so that it’s next to the whirligig wing. Do the same with the other eraser, on the other side.
- Hold your whirligig up in the air, and watch the wings spin!
You could also …
- Name your whirlgig, like Ob did with his. You can give it any kind of name you want. Be creative!
- Decorate your whirligig wings with markers, glitter, or anything else you can find.
- Decorate the pencil, too, if you want. Paint it, glue bright-colored paper on it, or wrap a pipe cleaner around it.