Magic Color Spinner

Create a spinning color wheel to see how different colors blend together when they move fast. You'll learn about rotational motion and how our eyes perceive mixing colors!

Tools

• scissors
• ruler
• pencil
• hole puncher
• markers or acrylic paint (set of 5-10 colors)

Materials

• white cardstock paper (1 sheet, 8.5x11 inch)
• strong twine or cotton string (2 pieces, 20 inches each)
• glue stick (1 stick)

Safety

• Adult supervision required when using scissors.
• Be careful not to wrap the string too tightly around fingers to avoid cutting off circulation.
• Adult supervision required for sharp objects.
• Protect work surface. Materials may stain clothing.
• Do not wrap string around neck or limbs.
• Adult supervision required for children under 8.

Steps

1. Use a ruler and pencil to draw a 4-inch diameter circle on the cardstock paper. Cut the circle out carefully with scissors.
2. Divide the circle into equal wedges (like a pizza) using your ruler. For a 6-color wheel, make 6 equal sections.
3. Color each section with a different bright color using markers or paint. Make sure the colors are bold and fill the entire wedge.
4. Mark the exact center of the circle with a dot. Use a hole puncher to make a hole exactly in the center.
5. Punch two more holes, approximately 1/2 inch from the outer edge of the circle, positioned exactly opposite each other (180 degrees apart).
6. Cut two equal lengths of string (20 inches each). Thread one piece of string through the left hole and tie a double knot to secure it.
7. Thread the second piece of string through the right hole and tie a double knot to secure it.
8. Hold the spinner by the two strings so the circle hangs horizontally. Twist the strings by rotating the circle repeatedly in one direction until the strings are tightly wound.
9. Hold the ends of the strings firmly and gently pull your hands apart to launch the spinner. The circle will spin rapidly, causing the colors to blend into a new shade!