How to Make a Kite for Children

A Simple, Homemade Kite to Explorie Aerodynamics with Students

Mar 23, 2009 Theresa Bledsoe

With the arrival of warm, breezy weather, it's time to get students out-of-doors for some memorable adventures in learning. This hexagon-shaped kite is easy to make.

Warm weather often makes for restless students. Why not capitalize on their enthusiasm for spring by planning lessons that will eventually take them outdoors? Although students may not realize they're learning, a unit on kites can easily tie in to multiple content areas including Math, History, Science and Language Arts.

The History of Kites

Kites have been an object of fascination to people around the world for 2000 years or more. Because kites are lightweight and are generally made of materials that easily disintegrate over time, few samples from the past are available for study. For this reason, it is difficult to be sure exactly when or where kites first originated. It is known, however, that when Marco Polo returned to Europe from China in 1295, he wrote about the kites that he had seen there.

Since that time, kites have been used not only as toys, but also to study meteorology, to spy on enemy troops, and to study the aerodynamic principles of lift, thrust and drag. Kites were important to Benjamin Franklin's study of electricity and to later studies conducted by many different individuals on the principles of flight.

Supplies for Constructing a Hexagon-Shaped Kite

• 6 plastic flexible straws
• 6 plastic jumbo straws
• Tissue paper
• Scissors
• Glue or fingernail polish
• Cellophane tape
• Kite string or other strong, lightweight string
• Markers or water color paint and brushes for decorating the kite (optional)

How to Make a Kite

1. Cut each flexible straw about 1 1/2 inches on each side of the flexible hinge.
2. Slide one end of each jumbo straw into an end of each flexible hinged piece. Form a hexagon (a six-sided figure) with the remaining straws.
3. Cut a sheet of tissue paper into a size and shape slightly larger than the straw hexagon. (Allow an additional 1/2 to 1 inch of extra space on all sides.)
4. Place the six-sided figure on the tissue paper.
5. Run a bead of glue or fingernail polish along one of the straws. Bring the tissue paper up over the straw and glue it into place. Repeat this process with each straw.
6. Tear off a 3 or 4 inch piece of cellophane tape. (This will be used to reinforce the area where string will be tied.) Tape around the tissue and straw at the center of one of the six sides. Repeat with each of the other sides.
7. Using scissors or other sharp object , carefully poke a hole through the tape and paper just inside the kite area on each of the six sides.
8. Cut three pieces of kite string about 18 inches long.
9. Thread eqch end of the three strings through opposite holes. Carefully tie each string in place.
10. Pull the strings up together at the center of the kite. Tie these short strings to the remaining ball of string.

Kite Decoration, Kite Safety, and Launch

If desired, decorate the kite with water colors or markers. Work carefully and allow to dry. The kite is now ready to fly.

On a breezy day, find an area free of overhead wires, trees, or other obstacles. Be sure to discuss kite flying safety, especially with younger children. Hold the kite close to the center strings and feel the strength of the wind against the kite. Release kite and enjoy!

The copyright of the article How to Make a Kite for Children in Homeschooling is owned by Theresa Bledsoe. Permission to republish How to Make a Kite for Children in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Hexagon shape