How To Make a Kite

Kites may seem old fashioned, but they can still be a fun way for a family to spend time with one another. Flying a kite requires nothing more than a kite and some wind. Making a kite can be part of the fun, allowing your family to customize the kite by using the colors and materials that you choose.

1. Glue the dowels together. You need 2 dowels of the same length - 2 feet is a good length. Using wood glue, glue them together in a cross shape. Clamp the dowels together while the glue is drying, and reinforce the intersection by wrapping string around it once the glue is dry.
2. Cut notches into the ends of the dowels. Cut the notches with a knife, and run a long sturdy piece of string through each notch, pulling the string taut and tying the ends. The notches will keep the string in place, and the string itself now provides the diamond-shaped frame for the kite.
3. Spread out the nylon fabric. Lay the fabric flat and place the kite frame on top of it. Using chalk, outline the diamond shape onto the nylon fabric.
4. Cut the fabric. Cut the fabric about an inch outside the drawn diamond shape (it may help to draw another line before you cut the fabric). Cut one inch slits at each corner of the fabric so that each side can be folded down individually.
5. Iron the fabric. Using an iron, press the extra inch of fabric around the diamond shape into a fold.
6. Sew the fabric. Place the fabric onto the frame and fold the extra material over the string. Sew the fabric along the fold.
7. Paint the fabric. Using fabric paint, paint whatever colorful designs you choose onto the kite!
8. Attach the kite string. Make a small hole in the lower front of the kite fabric. Thread a 12 inch string from the base of the vertical dowel through the fabric and into the hole. Next, tie a 16 inch piece of string to the place where the two dowels intersect. Thread the string through the hole in the kite fabric. Knot the ends of the two strings with the string being used to fly the kite.
9. Fly your kite! Have fun!

To customize your kite, you can use different colors of nylon fabric, add streamers to the kite, or paint various shapes, figures, or change the size. Make it a family project and let each member of the family create their own kite!