The wind seems to blow through our yard everyday. It only made sense then to explore the wind as a part of the the A-Z Science Experiments for Kids series hosted by Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails. As you will see we conducted a number of cool science experiments with wind.
We created a wind turbine or pinwheel for us to use to explore the wind. I made Who Has Seen the Wind Template that we could use and you could too.
The words on the pinwheel are from the title of a Christina Rossetti poem that I really love. It seemed to totally fit with the science experiment we were going to do.
Who Has Seen the Wind?
Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you:
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I:
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by.
Here is how we assembled the pinwheel:
- Cut out the two pinwheel pieces ( The pinwheel square and the cloud circle)
- Cut down the dotted lines from the corners to the circle in the center.
- Use a hole punch to punch the four corner holes and the center hole.
- Bend the side of each triangular piece into the center and glue it down. Make sure the holes in those pieces line up with the holes in the center.
- Glue the circle with the cloud in the center of the pinwheel.
- Push a pin into the cloud right where its nose would be.
- Attach the pin to a pencil. Make sure the pointy end of the pin isn’t sticking out of the pencil.
Exploring Cool Science Experiments With Wind
You can conduct your experiments inside or outside. We took out pinwheel outside.
Experiment One
Try to just get the pinwheel moving with a soft and slow breath. Start counting to ten once you get it moving.
What number were you able to count to?
Experiment Two
Then blow as hard as you can across the pinwheel. Start counting to ten again.
What number were you able to count to?
Experiment Three
Let the wind try to get the pinwheel spinning. Note which way the pinwheel turns.
Does it go clockwise or counterclockwise?
Experiment Four
If you held the pinwheel sideways, repeat the same experiments while holding the pinwheel right in front of you.
Did the number you could count to stay the same?
Did the wind blow it faster?
Experiment Five
Now try holding the pinwheel down horizontally and repeating the experiments.
Could you count to the same numbers?
Could the wind make it spin?
We discussed our answers to these question orally. You may decide to record you answers in a science journal.
Here are some other cool science experiments:
Cool Science Experiments with Friction
You will find a more great science experiments for kids on my Early Learning Science Pinterest board.
Please stop by and check out all the other A to Z of Science Experiments for kids. There is a complete list of them on Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails.
If you try these cool science experiments , please leave me a comment below telling me about how your experiments went or share a picture of it on my Facebook page.
Theres Just One Mommy says
So many fun ways to play with the pinwheel! I can’t wait to try some of these out with the kids!
Shelah says
That is such a cute printable windmill and the experiments you thought of to go with it are fantastic!
Deirdre says
We had fun doing them. I am so glad you like them.
Deborah says
Great
Deirdre says
I am so glad you like it!