How to make a kite for kids

Kites are easy to make and nice to fly when there is a bit of wind. You can easily make a simple diamond-shaped kite in an afternoon. Start by building an armature then measure and cut out the diamond for the sheer. Finally, add a tail and a wire that the kite fly properly. When you've finished it, you can decorate it so it looks pretty when it floats in the air.

1 - Make the armature

A - Form a cross.

- Place the 50 cm strip on the 60 cm strip, forming a Latin cross (longer at the bottom). These rods constitute the frame of the kite.
- If you want make a kite taller, use longer chopsticks. Make sure that the vertical strip is at least 10 cm longer than the horizontal one.

B - Tie the chopsticks together.
- Use string or glue. Wrap a string around the point of intersection of the two sticks by making one or two turns. Tie its ends together and cut the excess with scissors. You can also apply a little glue between the two rods at the point where they intersect and press on this part to glue them together.
- Make sure the wands are perpendicular when attached. The one that is horizontal must pass over the vertical, forming a right angle.

C - Score the chopsticks.
- Use scissors to make a cut 2 to 5 cm from each end. The notches should be made across the width of the sticks and be deep enough to accommodate the string you will be using to tie the curtain.
- If you use very thin chopsticks and string, you can make holes in the ends of the chopsticks instead of making notches.

D - Install the twine.
- Wrap it around the notch at the upper end of the vertical strip, making a turn. Then pass it around the notch at the right end of the horizontal strip while stretching it. Then go around the notch at the lower end of the frame, then the one at the left end. Finally, make another turn or two of the upper end and tie the string. Trim the excess with scissors.
- Tighten the string, but not too much, because it must not bend or deform the rods.
- It will help the underwire maintain its shape when you do fly the kite.

2 - Measure and cut the curtain

A - Take a suitable material.
- Take a 1m wide plastic bag, paper or cloth to make the veil. A large white trash bag is the best choice, as it is both durable and easy to decorate. You can also use strong white adhesive paper or newspaper.
- If you have nothing else, you can use fabric, but it must be thick and strong for the kite to be strong.

B - Place the frame on the curtain.
- Lay out the material you have chosen flat on the ground then center the frame on it.

C - Trace the contours of the armature.
- Place a ruler on the material of the curtain between the upper end and the right end of the cross formed by the rods. Draw an oblique line between these two points using the ruler. Do the same between the right end and the lower end, the lower end and the left end and finally the left end and the upper end.
- When you're done, you should have a diamond shape drawn on the sheer with the underwire inside.

D - Cut out the curtain.
- Cut out the diamond with scissors, leaving a 5 cm wide border around the outlines you have drawn. You will be able to wrap the material around the frame easily.
- You should now have a clean diamond that will fit perfectly on the frame.

3 - Assemble the kite

A - Attach the veil to the frame.
- Apply a thin line of glue to the frame and lay the edges of the curtain over it. Press on them to make them adhere well. You can also use masking tape or duct tape to stick the underwire inside the sheer.
- Make sure the curtain is taut and well tied, as it should not come loose from the frame in the air.

B - Tie a thread.
- Take a wire at least 50 cm long to fly the kite. Use scissors to make a small hole in the sheer just above the point where the two sticks intersect. It should be big enough to run your yarn through. Pass one end of the yarn through the hole and tie it tightly to the chopsticks at the point where they cross. Let the rest stick out the other side of the hole as you complete the kite.
- You can then add a string to the wire to lengthen it according to your height and the length of your arm. Sometimes a longer wire can help the kite fly straighter.

C - Stand in a queue.
- Attach a fairly wide tail 2 m long to the lower end of the frame by making several turns of the stick and tying it tightly. Use thick string or a strip of fabric.
- Make a tail to match the color of the veil to make the kite aesthetically pleasing.

D - Balance the tail.
- Attach strips of fabric or ribbons 5 to 7 cm long spaced 30 cm apart. Tie them to the tail in small knots and let them hang loosely at the sides. These strips will balance the tail and help the kite stay straight.

E - Decorate the kite.
- When you've finished assembling it, use markers to write words or phrases on the sheer or to decorate it with a pattern like polka dots or stripes. You can also glue colored paper shapes like spirals, triangles or circles.
- You could write your name on the kite so everyone knows it's yours and you can see your name flying in the air.

F - Fly the kite.
- Test it somewhere where there is no tree or electric wire. Look for a place close to a body of water like a lake or the sea, as there will be good wind to fly the kite. Hold onto the yarn tightly and run downwind. Let go of the kite without stopping running by pushing it up into the wind. Use the wire to hold it up.