by Aldona Bird
Let’s go fly a kite … but first, let’s go make a kite.
With a few simple supplies you can have the fun of crafting and personalizing your kite, before heading off into the wind to watch it soar.
To make your own bird-themed kite, you will need:
- lightweight paper (construction paper works)
- stapler and staples
- glue stick
- string
- scissors
Pick a sheet of paper for the main color of your kite. Fold it in half horizontally. The crease will be the belly of the bird, so keep this in mind as you decorate.
In other colors, cut out a beak, tail feathers, wing feathers and any other such decorations that you want to add.
When you glue the beak and tail feathers (which can be one piece, cut out to represent a tail, or multiple pieces glued together), place them so that they sit in the crease and glue them to the paper of the main kite on either side of them.
Add eyes, wing feathers and any other decorations. You can also color or paint your kite for an extra artistic flare. You can make your kite as simple or as ornate as you want. Make more than one to try different designs and have a flock of bird kites.
Once you have finished decorating your bird kite, use the stapler to hold the wings in place: fold without creasing the front (above the beak) of the wings to touch the fold on the bottom. Position them to be about a third of the way along the fold, closer to the head of the bird.
Staple them in place with one staple.
Punch a hole, or poke a hole with your scissors around the center of the bottom of the kite (the bird’s belly). It should be about a quarter of an inch from the fold — too close and the paper may tear while flying.
Thread your lightweight rope or string through the hole and tie a knot.
If your rope is already on a tube or such from which it can quickly and easily unwind, you are set to go. If not, you will need to wind it onto a stick or even a toilet paper tube or other such item.
Next, run into the wind as you let go of your kite. Quickly unwind the string, and watch your homemade bird kite fly and flutter up and up.
This is a fun and simple project for kids — creating their own kites adds to the fun of flying them.
At any age, the young at heart will also enjoy this fun craft and excuse for running around on a windy day.
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