Who doesn’t love a good do it yourself project for the whole family! It’s the perfect way to keep our creative minds going. We created the Inspiration Center to showcase some simple DIY ways people all over Colorado are getting out into their neighborhoods and communities to use Pinwheels for Prevention® to inspire a conversation about how every day, you can plant seeds for all children to grow up happy and healthy during Child Abuse Prevention Month. Here are just a few of our favorite ways to promote prevention with pinwheels! 

Create your Own Pinwheel Bouquet

Visit the  Inspiration Center Pinterest Board to find DIY instructions for making your own pinwheel bouquet! You will be able to keep them in doors or even on your patio to make the pinwheels swirl with the Spring breeze. All you need are just a couple of materials:

• a miniature ceramic pot,
• some Styrofoam, fake grass/ moss, your preferred ribbon,
• a hot glue gun and PINWHEELS!!!

  *Please supervise your children with the hot glue gun, the tip gets very hot and can burn the child.*

Connect with Your Neighborhood

If you are looking for something bigger, with less risk of experiencing burnt fingertips from a hot glue gun, try taking a walk around the neighborhood with some pinwheels. We love the idea of ordering in BULK, getting out into the neighborhood or your building to drop a handful of pinwheels on your neighbor’s doorstep.

Step One: Get a wagon or bag to carry your pinwheels and take a short walk leaving a few pinwheels on each doorstep. PROTIP Leave a little card to let folks know you care and make a new friend!

Step Two: Put the leftover pinwheels in your front yard for FREE pickup and post on Nextdoor letting folks know that the pinwheels represent the bright future we all want for the kiddos in the community.

Step Three: Put your pinwheels in your front yard for everyone to see. You can add these pinwheels wherever you prefer, but we love the look of using the empty planter to symbolize that we are growing a better tomorrow for all children, together. The only thing you will need is a bigger ceramic or plastic pot. Fill up the pot with your year round soil and of course we cannot forget the pinwheels!

Step Four: Walk the neighborhood a few days later to see how many of your neighbors followed your lead p[anting their pinwheels in their front yards! It’s a sweet way to connect during these socially distant times.

Masks up with a Pinwheel

Who wouldn’t want to wear a pinwheel on your mask? The whole family can rock their own pinwheel mask. The materials you will need is just blue fabric, needle and thread. The video featured on the inspiration center shows you step by step instructions for creating a full cotton mask or if you just want to add a little pinwheel to another mask, we will show you that too! **CDC guidelines recommend to wear a mask in any public establishment indoor or outdoor. For more information please visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/**

Enter the #GrowingBetterTogether Photo Contest

Don’t wait to highlight the DIY way you’re promoting prevention this month by entering the #GrowingBetterTogether photo contest and VOTE for your favorite photo. Photos with the most votes on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at 1:00 pm (MTN) win the opportunity to select a Colorado nonprofit serving children and families to receive a $1000, 300 or $200 mini grant! 

Special thanks to Colorado Child Welfare Scholars Consortium for helping To make this photo contest possible!

Visit the Inspiration Center to find out how others are using their pinwheels to promote prevention and follow #GrowingBetterTogether to connect to the movement in your neighboorhood.