How to Make a Kite

Homemade Kite

Anytime we are at the beach or a park where someone is flying a kite JZ (5) is fascinated and asks when we can buy a kite.  Recently he "bought" his own kite with AWANA bucks, currency given for Bible verses memorized at our church AWANA program.  It was a small toy kite.  He was so excited to fly it.  Unfortunately we don't live in a city that gets a lot of wind, and this little kite needed more to get in the air.  My husband told JZ that he knew how to make a kite, and he suggested they make one together.  Still sad about his small kite not flying JZ declined the offer.  My husband decided to make one to surprise him.

How to Make a Kite

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Supplies:

• butcher paper (When he was a kid he made kites out of garbage bags, and he said those fly very easily as well.)
• wood glue
• wood (In the past he used sticks he and his brothers found on the ground.)
• string
• tape
• an old towel cut into strips

Directions:  

1.  Glue the two sticks or wood pieces together.  Reinforce with string.

2.  Outline the kite with string, pulling it taunt.

3.  Cover the kite outline with paper or a garbage bag.

4.  Fold the paper over and secure with tape.

5.  Run string along the horizontal wood strip and pull it tight to make the wood curve slightly.

6.  Cut two small holes in the paper and reinforce with masking tape.  Lace the string through the holes and leave some slack.  This is where the string will attach to fly the kite.  The string to fly the kite should be straight in front of the point where the wood pieces cross.

My husband was just about done when JZ walked into the garage.  His face says it all!

He helped put the final touches on the kite.

7.  Make a tail.  JZ cut strips from an old banana then tied it around the string of the kite's tail.

After the first few flights we brought the kite back into the garage and added strips of an old towel to the tail, not pictured.  The kite flopped around in the wind too much, and my husband said the tail needed more weight.  The towel strips did the trick.

8.  Time to fly!

JZ could barely contain his excitement.  J-Bug (3) came running out just in time to watch the kite in flight.

It was amazing.

There was hardly any wind that afternoon, and the homemade kite still flew beautifully.

Now that you know how to make a kite, give it a try!  Chances are, you'll make your kids' day.

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