You don’t have to buy expensive kites from the stores to have fun with kites. You can make your own. It’s easy.
You will need:
- A lightweight piece of plastic: Rubbish bags are suitable, or used present wrapping foil. I used a 70cm x 63cm piece of bubble wrap to make mine.
- Two sticks, lightweight and not fragile, 64cm long: I used two green bracken fern stems. Other branches like this would be suitable, a pair of shorter sticks could be taped together to make a longer one, but you could use a stiff piece of wire, straighten out a coat hanger (ask Mum or Dad first).
- Tape: I used masking tape, any sort of tape should be suitable, sellotape, duct tape etc.
- String: I used builder’ string. I wouldn’t advise going heavier gauge than this.
- Step 1: Select suitable materials. If your plastic or sticks are not quite long enough scale sizes down to suit. Lay out plastic and cut to template shown. Figures shown as ratio’s, scale your kite to suit, take care not to go too large as these will more readily and will exert more force on your string which can cause burning.
A plan of the kite. Click to view the larger image.
Step 2: Cut sticks to length and tape them along the fold line at top and bottom and at mid point just above triangle opening.
Step 3: Apply tape to corners of triangle opening to prevent tearing.
Step 4: Cut a 3.0m length of string and tape each end to either side of kite.
Step 5: Select mid-point of string and form a loop. Attach good length of string to this. Optional to attach strings using a fishing line swivel.
Step 6: Decorate and go catch a breeze.
Good luck!
More kites
Here are some links to more kite plans:
How to Make a Kite Out of a Plastic Bag
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