Creating Easy Colorful Paper Fans + Link To FREE Printables!

In this post I will be sharing a fun and colorful paper fan craft that kids of all ages can easily do and get creative with. This was an art project that Lauren did in Brightly Beaming Resources' (Step 2: Letter of the Week) home school curriculum for the "f" sound as in "fan",  Click Here To Find Out Why We Are Doing Homeschooling. This is a simple version of creating paper fans, Lauren made 2 types: asian-style and circle type (as seen in the image below).

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GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR OWN PAPER FAN

All you need to make this craft are colored craft sticks, you can use regular craft sticks or jumbo craft sticks and heavy weight papers, pattern or wrapping papers. You can try different fan shapes as well, Click Here To Check Out Various Printable Fan Templates you can use. Make your paper fan in 2 ways, check out the following methods below.

CREATING A COLORFUL, CUTE & USABLE PAPER FANS

Note: You can allow the kids to choose the fan types to make, pattern papers to use or colors of fan handles to involve them in the decision making.

METHOD 1: Download any fan pattern of choice, Click Here To Check Out Various Printable Fan Templates. Print downloaded fan pattern on a bond paper, cut the pattern and trace on an empty box cardboard and on any wrapping paper of choice. Cut the traced patterns, glue the wrapping paper fan pattern onto the cardboard fan pattern using solid glue stick. 

METHOD 2: Take a plain or white heavy weight paper (such as vellum boards, specialty board, cardstock or any paper of the similar texture) and print a digital paper on it. Check out the links below for some FREE printable Summer inspired digital papers that you can download immediately  and print onto white heavy weight papers.

* FREE Download Summer Delight Digital Papers by Free Pretty Things For You

* FREE Download Summer Bug Digital Papers by Free Pretty Things For You

* FREE Download Summer Sweetness Digital Papers by Free Pretty Things For You

CREATING THE PAPER FAN HANDLES

Once paper fans are created, glue some regular craft sticks together on top of each other separating and adjusting each stick diagonally using hot melt glue to create an asian style fan handle. For a round or simple shape fan, simply glue a single jumbo craft stick using hot melt glue or glue about 3 to 4 regular craft sticks together then attach on one middle bottom end of the fan pattern.

After attaching handle on a simple fan of any chosen shape, glue an extra pattern to conceal the glued handle and reveal a colorful back to back covered simple shape paper fan. You can definitely use these fans to cool yourself on a hot summer day or even during black outs. Go ahead and try getting the kids creating some simple but cute and usable paper fans today!

MATERIALS FOR THIS CRAFT

* printer * fan templates * bond paper * white heavy weight paper (such as vellum board, cardstock, specialty board or any paper of similar texture) * empty box cardboard (optional) * pattern or wrapping paper (optional) * scissors * solid glue stick * colored regular and jumbo craft sticks * hot melt glue * glue gun

GET A LOW-COST QUALITY PRINTER FOR HOME PRINTING!

Print FREE printables for home DIYs and more! I'm using "HP Ink Tank 115" single function inkjet printer in printing templates and printables, I bought it online at shopee.ph. It is a quality and low-cost printer for home printing that uses tank for the ink. 

Check Out "HP Original Ink" or "HP Compatible Premium Refill Ink" @ shopee.ph
Check Out "HP Ink Tank 115 Single Function Printer" @ shopee.ph

It needs a total of 4 ink bottles (CMYK) to refill the tank, you can save even more by refilling with universal ink. Just make sure the ink is compatible with the printer model before deciding on a purchase.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

If you got any thoughts or questions regarding this craft, feel free to interact and write it down in the comment box below. I'd be happy to hear from you. Thank you so much for viewing and reading.

POST UPDATED: September 2025
CREDITS: popsicle sticks, image by Debbie Miller from Pixabay

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