We hardly ever use small coins anymore... but instead of leaving them in a drawer, here's a good idea for reusing them. ⬇

 

Make an eco-friendly spinning top: you'll have fun with the children while discovering physics!

Making a homemade eco-friendly spinning top is a simple and fun activity for children, allowing them to have fun while discovering physics in a creative way.

Looking for a simple, fun, and educational activity to do with the kids? How about making a homemade eco-friendly spinning top? This little object that all children love isn't just a toy: it's also a great way to discover physics while having fun. With some cardboard, a coin, and a little creativity, you can transform an ordinary afternoon into a playful and educational activity.

A creative and eco-friendly activity to do with children

Today, we often look for simple activities to keep children occupied without screens. DIY projects are an ideal solution, especially when they allow us to recycle materials we already have at home.

Making a cardboard spinning top is a perfect activity: it develops creativity, patience, precision, and curiosity. Children can draw, color, cut, assemble, and then play with their creation.

It's a comprehensive activity that blends creativity, DIY, and discovery.

Why does a spinning top spin? A short physics lesson

The spinning top is not just a toy, it is also a scientific object. When it spins, it remains upright thanks to the rotation. The faster it spins, the more stable it remains.

This can be explained by a simple principle of physics: rotation stabilizes an object around its axis. Children can be told that the spinning top wants to fall, but spinning very fast prevents it from falling.

It's a very simple way to explain movement, balance, and rotation to children without making complicated lessons.

Learning through play is often the best way to understand.

The materials needed to make an eco-friendly spinning top

Good news: you hardly need to buy anything. You can make this spinning top with things you already have at home.

You will need:

• Fairly rigid cardboard
• A plate or a circle to draw
• A rule
• A pencil
• Scissors
• Felt-tip pens or colored pencils
• Glue
• A 1 cent coin

This activity is ideal for recycling cardboard boxes instead of throwing them away.

How to make the spinning top step by step

1. Start by drawing a circle on the cardboard using a plate.
2. Next, cut out the circle.
3. Using a ruler, draw a line down the center and then divide the circle into several parts like a cake.
4. Next, let the children decorate each part with different colors, patterns, drawings, or even stickers. This is often their favorite part.
5. Next, make a small notch in the center of the circle and insert the coin.
6. Secure it with a little glue. The piece will act as a weight to help the top spin longer and more easily.
7. Once the glue is dry, all that's left to do is spin the top and watch.

A fun experiment with colors

There's another really fun thing about this spinning top: when it spins, the colors blend. If you color each section with different colors, you'll see that as it spins fast, some colors seem to disappear or mix together.

Children love to observe this. It's another simple science experiment that's easy to understand: our eyes blend colors when they move very quickly.

You can try different color combinations to see the result.

A simple but very enriching activity

This type of activity is invaluable because it allows children to spend time together, create something with their hands, and learn without even realizing it. Children are proud to play with a toy they made themselves.

No need for complicated equipment or expensive activities. A piece of cardboard, a coin, and a little imagination are all you need to create a moment of sharing, creativity, and discovery.

Sometimes, the simplest activities are also the ones that create the most beautiful memories.