Making and Using a Wind Vane

Age: 6 years old

Materials

• A paper plate or piece of cardboard
• A drinking straw
• A pencil with an eraser
• A straight pin or thumbtack
• Paper and crayons or markers
• Scissors
• Glue or tape
• A compass, compass app, or a simple north arrow drawn by an adult
• An outdoor space with some wind

Goal

The child will make a simple wind vane and use it to find which direction the wind is coming from.

1. Hook: Which way is the wind blowing? — 5 minutes

   Go outside or stand near an open window. Ask:

   • “Can we see the wind?”
   • “How could we tell which way it is moving?”

   Let the child notice moving leaves, grass, hair, or a flag. Explain: Wind is moving air. A wind vane is a tool that points in the direction the wind comes from.

2. Show how a wind vane works — 7 minutes

   Show the child a straw. Explain that one end will be the arrowhead and the other end will be the tail. Cut a triangle from paper for the arrowhead and a larger triangle or rectangle for the tail.

   Tape or glue the arrowhead to one end of the straw and the tail to the other end. Push a straight pin through the middle of the straw and into the pencil eraser. The straw should spin freely. Do not push the pin all the way through the eraser.

   Say: “The large tail catches the moving air. The arrowhead points toward the place the wind is coming from.” Demonstrate by gently blowing across the vane.

3. Make the wind vane together — 10 minutes

   Help the child complete these steps:

   1. Draw and cut out a small arrowhead and a larger tail.
   2. Tape the arrowhead to one end of the straw.
   3. Tape the tail to the other end.
   4. Find the middle of the straw.
   5. Push the pin through the middle of the straw and into the pencil eraser.
   6. Check that the straw can turn freely.

   Ask the child to decorate the arrowhead and tail. Remind the child that the arrowhead should be smaller than the tail so the vane can turn.

4. Set up direction markers — 5 minutes

   On the paper plate or cardboard, write N for north, E for east, S for south, and W for west. Place the pencil upright in the center of the plate or cardboard and secure it with clay, tape, or by holding it carefully.

   Use a compass or compass app to help point the N marker toward north. Then place E, S, and W in the correct positions. Explain that a wind direction tells us where the wind comes from. For example, a north wind comes from the north.

5. Use the wind vane — 8 minutes

   Take the wind vane outside. Hold or place it where it is not blocked by a wall, tree, or building. Wait for the straw to turn.

   Ask:

   • “Which way is the arrowhead pointing?”
   • “Which letter is it pointing toward?”
   • “Which direction is the wind coming from?”

   Record one observation together:

   Today the wind came from the ______.

   Move to a second nearby spot and observe again. Discuss whether the wind seems the same or different. If there is very little wind, have the child walk slowly while holding the vane, or gently blow on it and explain that this shows how the vane responds to moving air but is not a natural wind reading.

6. Brief recap — 3 minutes

   Ask the child to finish these sentences:

   • “Wind is __________.”
   • “A wind vane tells us __________.”
   • “The arrowhead points toward __________.”

   Review: Wind is moving air, and a wind vane points toward the direction the wind comes from.

Quick Check

Point the wind vane in a direction or let it turn outside. Ask: “If the arrowhead points north, where is the wind coming from?”

Expected answer: The wind is coming from the north.

Make it easier: Label the plate together and let the child choose between two directions, such as north or south.

Make it harder: Have the child make a three-observation chart showing the time, arrow direction, and whether the wind felt strong or gentle.