Easy Spinning Top Stem Craft
This DIY Spinning Top STEM Craft is surprisingly easy to make, needs very little prep, and is a lot of fun!
Using just a few household supplies, children can create their own spinning top toy in no time. We made ours in under 20 minutes, with most of the time spent colouring and decorating.
Whether you’re planning a simple STEM activity for a classroom, looking for an easy craft for a group, or want a fun hands-on project to enjoy at home, this spinning top is quick to prepare and even more fun to experiment with.
What You’ll Need:
To run this activity you will need the following:
- Spinning Tops Template (You can make your own by drawing a circle, ours have a diameter of 7cm.)
- Plastic Bottle Lid
- Cotton Ear Bud/ Swab
- Blue Tack
- Skewer/Compass
- Scissors
- Colouring Pens
How to Make a Spinning Top STEM Craft:
Step 1
On paper or card, make a spinning top by drawing and cutting out a circle.
Step 2
Decorate the spinning top.
Step 3
Carefully use a compass point or metal skewer to make a small hole in the centre of the paper circle.
Adult supervision is recommended.
Step 4
Step 5
Carefully make a small hole in the centre of a plastic bottle lid.
Adult Supervision is recommended.
Step 6
TIP: If running this activity with a group, you may wish to prep this step before hand.
Step 7
Take a cotton ear bud and carefully snip off one cotton tip.
Step 8
Push the cut end of the ear bud through the hole in the bottle lid until the remaining cotton tip is underneath the lid.
Step 9
Press a small piece of blue tack around the ear bud on the top of the lid, flattening it to hold the ear bud securely in place.
Step 10
Thread the paper spinning top onto the ear bud and gently press it onto the blue tack so it sticks firmly.
Your Spinning Top Is Ready For Testing!
Tips From Our Testing
- Younger children may need help with making the hole in the bottle lid and pushing the cotton bud through.
- Prep the bottle lid in advance. If running this activity with younger children or a large group, I would prep the bottle lid by putting a hole in it first. This would make the activity run much smoother and quicker.
- Keep the cotton bud secure. We found the spinning top worked best when the cotton bud couldn’t wobble inside the lid. A generous piece of Blu Tack helps hold everything firmly in place.
- Don’t worry if you only have paper. We tested both paper and card. Card is more durable, but both versions spun really well.
Ready-To-Print Resources – Spinning Top Stem Craft
Want to skip the prep? Download the Spinning Top Printable Activity Pack that includes templates & instructions from my Etsy shop.
Keep The Experiment Going
One of the best parts of this spinning top STEM craft is experimenting to see what happens.
Encourage children to try different colours, patterns and designs, or make small changes to the way they build their spinning top. They might be surprised at how even tiny changes affect how it spins.
Pin For Later
I hope you enjoy this Spinning Top Stem craft. Please feel free to tag any photos of your creations using #printandplaydays, I would love to see what you make.
Happy Crafting.
Joanne
