Engineering activity
Wind Turbine
Make a simple pinwheel that spins in the wind! Discover how moving air can make things turn.
Materials and setup
- paper
- pencils
- pins
- cardboard
- tape
- string
- scissors
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Make a simple pinwheel that spins in the wind! Discover how moving air can make things turn.
Steps
- Cut a square piece of paper. Cut from each corner toward the center, stopping halfway.
- Fold every other corner to the center and push a pin through all layers and the center.
- Attach the pin to the eraser end of a pencil.
- Blow on the pinwheel or hold it in front of a fan. Watch it spin!
- Try blowing from different angles. Which way makes it spin fastest?
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Discover that moving air can make objects spin
- Observe how wind direction affects spinning speed
- Practice folding and assembling a paper mechanism
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Build a wind turbine from a pinwheel and see if it can lift a small weight. Learn how wind power can do work!
Steps
- Make a pinwheel and mount it on a pencil supported by two stacks of books.
- Tie a light string to the pencil, with a small paper cup on the other end.
- Place a few coins in the cup.
- Blow on the pinwheel or use a fan. Does the spinning turbine lift the cup?
- If it doesn't lift, try fewer coins. How many coins can your turbine lift?
- Draw your wind turbine and label: blades, axle, string, load.
- Tell a grown-up one thing that surprised you.
Learning objectives
- Build a device that converts wind energy into lifting force
- Discover that spinning blades can do useful work
- Test and measure the lifting capacity of a wind-powered device
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Engineer a wind turbine and optimize blade design for maximum power output. Test different blade shapes, numbers, and angles.
Steps
- Build a turbine tower from a cardboard tube. Mount a pencil through the top as an axle.
- Cut blade sets from cardboard or plastic cups: try 2, 3, 4, and 6 blades.
- Attach blades to a cork or foam ball on the axle.
- Test each blade set with a fan at the same distance. Measure: cups of water lifted in 30 seconds (tie string to axle with small cup).
- Test blade angle: flat, slightly angled, and steeply angled. Record which lifts most.
- Create a data table. Which combination of blade number and angle produces the most power?
- In one sentence, tell a parent or sibling what surprised you today.
Learning objectives
- Test how blade count and angle affect wind turbine power output
- Conduct systematic experiments with controlled variables
- Understand that blade design significantly affects energy capture efficiency
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Design, build, and optimize a wind turbine to generate measurable power. Calculate energy output and compare blade designs for efficiency.
Steps
- Research wind turbine blade physics: pitch angle, tip speed ratio, blade shape (airfoil vs flat).
- Build a turbine that spins a small DC motor (or lifts weights via string) when wind hits the blades.
- Test at least 3 blade designs: number of blades, blade width, pitch angle, curved vs flat.
- Measure output for each: either voltage from a small motor or weight lifted per minute.
- Calculate power efficiency: compare energy output to estimated wind energy input.
- Research: why do most commercial turbines use exactly 3 blades?
- Write a report on your optimal blade design and how it compares to commercial turbine specifications.
- In one sentence, tell a parent or sibling what surprised you today.
Learning objectives
- Analyze how blade geometry affects wind energy capture efficiency
- Measure and compare power output across different turbine designs
- Connect experimental findings to real-world wind energy engineering
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
Related engineering activities
Arch Engineering
Build an arch using blocks or cardboard pieces. Discover the magic of the keystone — the piece that holds everything together!
Balloon Rocket
Thread a string across the room, tape a balloon to a straw on the string, and watch it zoom when you let the air out!
Boat Engineering
Build a boat from aluminum foil that floats in a tub of water. See how many pennies it can hold before sinking!
Bridge Builder Challenge
Build a bridge using blocks, cardboard, or popsicle sticks that can hold a toy car or small stuffed animal.