What Is a Windmill?
Discover How the Wind Helps Us Make Power!
What Is a Windmill?
Imagine standing on a sunny hill where the breeze tickles your cheeks and the grass dances. On that hill stands a tall tower with big spinning arms — whoosh, whoosh! That’s a windmill!
A windmill is a clever machine that uses the power of the wind to make things move or work. Long ago, people built windmills to grind grain into flour, pump water, and later to make electricity. The wind pushes against the blades, making them turn — and when they spin, they create energy!
How Does a Windmill Work?
Let’s think of wind as invisible air that loves to move. When wind blows, it pushes the blades of the windmill. These blades are connected to gears inside that turn around and around.
In old windmills, that turning motion helped grind grain into flour to make bread.
In modern times, we’ve built a special kind of windmill called a wind turbine — and that one turns wind into electricity!
So next time you see tall white wind turbines in the countryside or the sea, you’re actually looking at giant modern windmills.
A Little Bit of History
The first windmills were built over 1,000 years ago in Persia (which is now Iran). Later, they appeared in the Netherlands, where they helped pump water out of flooded land so people could live and farm there.
Dutch windmills are world-famous! They look like tall stone towers with wooden sails — almost like castles with arms waving to the sky.
Why Are Windmills Important?
Windmills and wind turbines help us make clean, renewable energy — energy that doesn’t pollute the planet.
Because wind comes from nature and never runs out, we can use it again and again without harming Earth.
So, windmills are not just pretty — they’re planet helpers!
Fun Windmill Facts
💨 The biggest wind turbines can be taller than the Statue of Liberty!
🌀 A single turbine can power hundreds of homes.
🌍 There are thousands of wind farms around the world making clean electricity.
🎡 Some windmills even have names, like “De Gooyer” in Amsterdam — one of the tallest wooden windmills ever built!
