DIY Kite

Go fly a kite. This is not a diss. It’s a suggestion. Just follow this plan designed by Bob White (best-breezes.squarespace.com) and courtesy of the Niagara Windriders Kitefliers Association, for a very kid-friendly kite project. The sail material can be made from:

• Paper
• Plastic table cloth
• Tyvek sheet material (available at building supply stores)
• The spars are best made from ?" dowels.

Directions:

1. Cut out sail according to dimensions.

2. Reinforce corner bridle points with masking tape on both sides.

3. Fold the kite along the lines from A–B and C–D. These are the lines that will be used to locate the two spars.

4. Place a thin bead of glue along each fold.

5. Carefully place each spar on line A–B and C–D.

6. Tape each spar at the top, bottom, and three places in between.

7. Decorate your kite.

8. Punch two small holes in the reinforced corner bridle points.

9. Tie the bridle string through the two holes. The string should be six times the length of the kite.

10. Find the mid-point of the string and tie a small loop. This is the balanced flying point.

11. Add 30 metres of string on a winder. Attach the string to the balanced flying point. Get flying!