Playing with kites: a simple, classic but always impressive game.
The beautiful days of these days allow us to play more games in the open air and to give space to creativity.
Your children will be delighted!
The materials needed to build a kite are few and simple. Two wooden sticks, a little paper and a lot of adhesive tape are enough and we will be able to fly our kite.
This is a creative and fun way, as well as cheap, to spend time with children, having fun even with little.
THE MATERIAL
- 2 flexible wooden sticks or bamboo poles (ideal with a diameter of 1 mm)
- light colored laminated papers
- colors (crayons, markers, tempera, etc.)
- light decorations (feathers, tissue paper, polystyrene balls, etc)
- transparent adhesive tape
- pencil
- scissors
- string
- clothes pegs
Wooden slats are easily found in any home improvement store, while plastic cards are on sale in all stationery stores. As an alternative to laminated sheets we can use any type of light paper, the important thing is that it is strong enough.
Those who prefer instead of twine can use the classic fishing line. Scissors, tape and clothespins, on the other hand, are always within reach of everyone in the house.
The first operation to do is the construction of the frame:
Take two wooden sticks (or reeds), one of which must be longer than the other; based on the length of the battens you will get a more or less large kite. It is necessary to overlap the two rods in the shape of a cross, so that the longer rod is in a vertical direction. the shorter rod, to be positioned in the horizontal direction, must be positioned at 3/4 of the height of the vertical rod.
Subsequently, it is necessary to proceed to tie the central crossing of both rods with the rope. If necessary, also use hot glue or adhesive tape. You have to tie them very tightly, as being the main structure, it has to be strong enough.
Finally, outline the rhombus with the rest of the bamboo sticks. By doing this, you will have finished the basic structure of your kite. Tie all ends securely, if necessary with rope and also with masking tape
Once you have made the cross-shaped structure, you need to insert the cord. Insert it at the intersection of the two rods and tie it very well.
The most creative moment has arrived: cut out and decorate the rhombus shape with paper.
Cut out a rhombus in the chosen paper using the sticks as a reference.
You can decorate the paper as you like, giving space to the imagination: make a kite with eyes and nose, or a butterfly kite, or a super hero kite! With the choice of colors and decorations, you can customize your kite as you want. A good rule of thumb is not to apply elements that add weight to the glider or too many layers of paint on the surface, risking to compromise the flight.
Now fix the paper to the wooden slats with the help of the adhesive tape in order to make the kite resist even the strongest gusts of wind.
Let's not forget the queue!
For example, cut four strips of paper, decorate them and glue them to the lower end of the rhombus. You can cut them in zigzags, waves or as you wish.
This will be the tail, which will not only serve to embellish the kite, but above all to stabilize the flight.
Finally get a string about 7/8 meters long which will be the line with which you will hold the kite; tie it tightly to the knot of conjunction of the four points.
Ready to fly the kite!