Craft: Making a kite
Take flight with this cool craft that you can make with your kids.
Craft: Making a kite
Learning to make a kite: Step 1
Materials:
- 2-to-3-mm-wide basket-weaving reed (available at craft or art supply stores)
- Scissors
- One spool of strong, thin string
- Thin plastic tablecloth
- Marker
- Double-sided carpet tape
- One sheet of coloured vinyl with a sticky backing
- 15-cm wooden dowel (must be narrow enough to fit through the centre of your spool)
Learning to make a kite: Step 2
Measure and cut your reed to lengths based on the diagram (below left). Tip: Soak reed in water for 10 min to make it more flexible.
Learning to make a kite: Step 3
Use the reed to form the kite’s frame. Tie your reeds together with string wherever it’s marked with a cross on the diagram.
Learning to make a kite: Step 4
Lay the tablecloth down on a flat surface and place the frame on top of it. Use a marker to trace around the frame leaving a 2.5-cm border on all sides. Remove the frame and cut it out.
Learning to make a kite: Step 5
Apply tape to the tablecloth along the border, just outside of the frame. Fold the plastic around the reed and firmly press together.
Measurements
Blue: 182 cm
Orange: 213 cm
Green: 91 cm
Learning to make a kite: Step 6
Cut out vinyl shapes as eyes, stripes or a smile. Cut the excess tablecloth into strips and tape to the body to make a tail. Tie a string to the middle reed on the back of your kite. Slip the dowel through the spool and let it soar.
