Spinning Love Card STEM Craft
This is an incredible STEM craft project for kids to make for someone special in their life. To ensure this project has longevity, we have included two design options so you can use this same project for a Mother’s Day STEM Craft or a Valentine’s Day Card. With this project kids will do crafting while also learning about engineering and physics. These Spinning Love Card STEM Craft are sure to WOW!
3D Spinning STEM Card
Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day Templates
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We have a spinning obsession lately! The kids are absolutely loving creating these STEM crafts. We started out with our Spinning Snowflake Card then we made a New Years version. Both were so much fun! So with Valentine’s Day coming up we decided to create another spinning craft card!
STEM Craft Lessons
So what STEM lessons are kids learning when they make this love filled Valentine’s Day Craft STEM Card?
Engineering and physics!
Kids are engineering a 3D card that not only pops up when opened, but also has a spinning feature. It involves intricate steps that must be done correctly to ensure the final project works perfectly. One key part of the engineering process is aligning the structure very precisely to ensure it works flawlessly to surprise anyone that opens the card. Kids will be challenged to use their critical thinking and problem solving skills with this project.
Next we have some really fun physics at work that makes our spinning feature (a flower) work. The Valentine’s Day Card will need to be prepped by winding it up before closing the card and giving it to your someone special. This will create what is known as Potential Energy. The ball is just waiting to spin, but it can’t because the energy is being held by the closed card. Once the card is opened, the spinning flower is freed and the potential energy transforms to kinetic energy and the flower spins.
See why we love this Valentine’s Day Craft? It’s got some incredible STEM lessons built right into it!
Best of all, we realized this amazing card could easily become a Mother’s Day card, so we added an extra image to the printable file so you can use this for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day!
Ready to craft and STEM? Let’s get to it!
3D Spinning Card Craft
Supplies
Small sharp scissors
Clear tape
Card stock paper
Glue or glue stick
Ruler
Clear or white thread or fishing line
Printer that prints on cardstock
Printable files – available free to all STEAM Powered Family members! Sign up here and get your printable.
Directions
Print both sheets on card stock.
Watch the Video
If you get confused about any of the steps, check out the video for help! The visual really helps.
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Cut sheet 1 in half, along the dotted line.
Fold and crease the bottom part of the sheet in half, forming the card base.
Cut out the rectangle portion from the top of the sheet. Fold and crease it in half, then fold (and crease) each end toward the middle crease, forming a W shape. (see photo) This piece will go inside of the card.
Next, carefully cut the middle circle out of the inner card, along the dotted line.
Assemble the Spinning Rose
Cut out both roses, other decorations and greetings from the second and third sheets.
Coat the back side of one of the roses with glue.
Cut an 8” length of thread or fishing line.
Place the thread in the middle of a rose, evenly adhering it to the very middle.
Place the other rose exactly on top of it. Press together.
Flip the inner card over, with the wrong side facing up.
Position the rose in the very center of the cut out circle. (Add glitter now if you want some extra sparkle!)
Place the length of each end of the thread along the middle crease of the back side of the inner card. Tape this thread down inside the crease, using scotch tape and/or glue. Trim any extra thread and tape.
Using a ruler, measure an inch from each outer edge of the card base. Mark lightly with a pencil.
Using this mark as a guide, position the inner card onto the inside of the card base, one inch from each side. Erase the pencil marks.
Glue the outer sections of it down. Leave the inner portion (with spinning rose) free of glue.
Cut out the remaining decorations and add them to the inside of your card wherever you like. Just be sure they do not get in the way of any of the folded creases!
Glue the Happy Valentine’s Day bubble and a decoration to the outside of your card.
Make sure to colour, address your card to your special person, add a personal note, and most of all sign your name on your creation!
Making Your Card Spin
To get the rose to spin, carefully twist it several times in one direction before closing the card. Then place it in an envelope.
When your special person gets the card they will open it, releasing the energy causing your card to pop up and start spinning!
Happy crafting and spreading the love for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day!