Making a kite with your children is a fantastic learning experience, and flying it together can be loads of fun! However, despite how it appears, making a kite is not that difficult. With step by step instructions, kids and even inexperienced DIYers can easily make a kite. In this article, we have listed the instructions to make three different types of kites. 

How to make a paper kite?

Given below are the instructions to make a flat kite from paper.

Materials to make a kite:

• A sheet of newspaper
• Two 1/4 inch round wooden sticks: one 24 inches long and the other 20 inches in length
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Masking tape 
• String
• Ruler
• Ribbons
• Small handsaw 

Directions to make a kite:

• Begin by cutting your wooden sticks to the appropriate lengths of 24 and 20 inches. 
• Then, cut notches at each end of your two wooden sticks using a handsaw. 
• Place the 24-inch dowel vertically and measure 6 inches from the top. Make a mark at this spot. To make a ‘t’ shape, place the smaller dowel over this mark and wrap a string around the dowels where they meet to secure them. 
• To further secure your dowels, cover the string with masking tape.
• Wrap a string around the kite, ensuring that it passes through the notches. 
• After you have completed your frame, it’s time to add the newspaper.
• Spread a wide sheet of newspaper on the floor. Position your frame on top of it. Then, cut the newspaper to around one inch outside the frame.
• Fold the newspaper’s edges over the string and fasten them using tape. 
• Cut a string 24 inches long. Make holes in the kite’s top and bottom tips and the string through the holes. This will form your kite’s brindle. To fly your kite, tie your flying string to this brindle string. 
• Use a colourful ribbon to create the tail of your kite.
• Now your kite is ready to fly.  

Instructions to make a rocket kite

Here are the instructions to make a rocket kite.

Materials required:

• Piece of paper
• A ruler
• A pencil
• Thread or string
• Stapler
• A punching machine.

Directions to make a rocket kite:

• Make a half-fold using your paper.
• Measure and mark off two points, A and B, at 2 1/2 inches and 3 1/2 inches respectively, on the folded edge of the paper.
• Bring the top left corner of the paper to point A. Then, fold the second side of the paper down to mimic the initial fold.
• Ensure that the folds are aligned with point A.
• Staple these corners together. 
• To improve stability, attach a tail to the opposite end of your kite.
• Make a hole at point B. One end of your kite string should be looped through the hole and knotted.
• Finally, cut out different coloured bows and connect them to the string.
• Your kite is now ready for flight.

Instructions to make a butterfly kite

Given below are the instructions on how to construct a butterfly kite.

Materials required:

• Ruler
• Protractor
• Markers
• 8.5 x 11 inch colourful paper
• Bamboo skewer
• Tape
• A spool of kite string
• Pins
• Crepe paper, 30 inches long

Directions to make a butterfly kite:

• Lay your paper flat in front of you and fold it in half like a greeting card. Unfold the paper and, using your ruler, trace the fold you just produced with a marker.
• Place your protractor immediately to the left of the bottom line on the paper. Make a 70-degree angle with a straight line. Similarly, draw a straight line at a 110-degree angle with your protractor to the right of your middle line. These two lines should be mirror reflections of each other.
• On the left side of the paper, draw the left half of a butterfly. Draw it such that the middle of the butterfly is the 70 degrees line. Make this side of the butterfly as large as possible. It should at least be 8.5 inches tall and about 5 inches broad. Repeat the same on the opposite side of the page.
• Fold your paper in half again along the centre mark. Then fold each butterfly wing inward following the angled lines you created. 
• Maintain your grip on the butterfly with your hand. Turn it over and wrap the back with a single long strip of tape to keep it in place without your hand.
• Lay a bamboo skewer horizontally over the top of the butterfly’s back. Tape it on the wall.
• Flip the kite over and insert a pin 3 inches from the top into the smaller end of the fold. Push the pin through the paper until a tiny hole is formed. Wrap some scotch tape over the hole to keep it from tearing.
• Thread your kite string through the hole and knot it several times to secure it. 
• Finally, tape a piece of crepe paper to the bottom of the butterfly to make a tail.
• Your butterfly kite is now complete.

Flying your kite

To fly your kite, find a location with a consistent breeze that is devoid of anything that might obstruct, harm, or injure you while flying the kites. These obstructions can be anything like buildings, trees or telephone poles. While holding your kite string in one hand, release your kite. Your kite should then take flight. 

For more detailed instructions on how to fly a kite, read this article by Podium School. 

Conclusion

Constructing and flying kits with your kids is a perfect activity for those designated ‘fun days’. Furthermore, you may also use this time to teach your kids about safety while crafting, the physics behind flying a kite and lastly, patience, a virtue all kite flyers require. Apart from the ones mentioned above, there are other types of kites your kids can make, for example, the batman kite, an owl kite, a box kite, a windsock kite, a sledge kite etc (Look at the instructional videos given below).