Pinwheels for the Fourth of July!

I love the 4th of July and as I live in Utah, I also LOVE the 24th of July, so I wanted to have something fun for the grandkids to make for the celebrations.  These pinwheels will be so fun for them to hold while watching the parades.
They hope the pinwheels will attract the attention of people on parade floats that are throwing candy.
I (with the help of my granddaughters) made some pinwheels with red, white, and blue scrapbook paper. 

Then we attached them to some 25 cent rulers from Walmart.  The rulers were longer than the straws that we also used for the pinwheel handle.  I think the rulers added more character to the pinwheels too, but the straws also work just fine.

The best part about these pinwheels (and what the kids love about them) is that they spin really easily and well!!!

Here's the "how to" video:

How to fold a pinwheel video

Here are a couple of my darling helpers:

And here is the template or pattern to print out and cut the right shape for the pinwheel:

Left click on the pinwheel template, then right click on the pinwheel image and select "print picture".  This will make the template the correct size when you print it out.  By the way, the pinwheel template should measure 5"x 5".  Cut along the solid lines and use a hole punch to punch out the circles :)

I'm thinking these would also make fun birthday party decorations.  As I continue thinking, I've also seen pinwheels used for wedding decorations on pinterest (the ones I saw did not spin though -- they were strictly decorative).

I may make some fall colored pinwheels later this summer and stick them in my patio when the wind starts blowing leaves off the trees.  Anyway, there are so many fun types of scrapbook paper that the possibilities are endless.

In case I don't get another post up before the 4th:

Let Freedom Ring!!!

and

God Bless the USA!

and everywhere else too!