Which way is the wind blowing? Find out with these printable weather vane templates! A weather vane — also called a wind vane — is a tool that spins to show the direction the wind is coming from. Colour one in, cut it out and build your own working weather vane for a hands-on weather science project. Download and print them for free, then pick a design below and print the full-size image.
Make your own working weather vane
It's easier than it looks! Cut out two copies of the same shape and glue them back to back, leaving a small gap in the middle. Slot a stick or skewer through the gap so the shape can spin freely. Stand it on a base — a paper plate works well — and mark North, South, East and West around the edge. Take it outside, line up the N with a compass, and watch it point to wherever the wind comes from.
How it works (and a fun fact)
The wind pushes the larger end around until the pointer faces into it, showing the wind's direction. It's one of the oldest weather tools there is — people have used weather vanes for over 2,000 years! Add it to a classroom weather station and explore more wind and weather with a tornado experiment or some cloud watching.
Why a rooster?
Ever noticed that weather vanes on old barns and rooftops are often shaped like a rooster? That's such a tradition that a weather vane is sometimes called a "weathercock". You can make yours a classic rooster, or pick any shape you like.
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