Indoor Kites (or Paper Kites)

Hello Everyone!

I was going to do this much earlier in April but was waiting on some photos to be sent to me. However they haven't arrived yet so I thought I had better share as promised to those who attended the workshop. It was run for the Armadale Council for the Minnawarra Arts Festival during the last school holidays. I was very glad to see kids of all ages whirling the kites madly indoors. My pictures of it flying are outside because there isn't enough room to swing a kite in my house.

This is what we are making:

Short string paper kites!

You start with a sheet of A4 paper, any colour. 

You decorate both sides but the side that you like best should be the underside of the kite because that is the side you will see most.  I have gone for simple crayon spots but you could do stickers or paint, though with paint you will have to wait till it dries and with stickers you will make it more heavy.  You can of course use a photocopy of a favourite colouring book and colour that in to make this. 

Then after you decorate and choose your favourite side you fold it in half, (making it an A5 sheet). Remember your favourite side should be the side that shows when you fold the tips together. 

Now you need to measure two points along the bottom /folded edge. Point A and Point B. Mark Point A at 2.5 inches and Point B at 3.5 inches or if you are metric A is at 6.5mm and B is at 9mm.

Fold the tips of the paper on one side to Point A, making sure the points line up with each other and with your mark. 

Staple them together, try to get the staple aligned with the fold so that it holds together better. 

Next you need to put some sticky tape over Point B and punch a hole in it with a hole punch or craft punch.

Almost done. It's so easy! Now you tie some string, yarn or fishing wire through the hole. If you make it longer wind the end around a piece of card. Tie a double knot for extra strength.

Choose some paper streamers and get a short length and sticky tape it to the middle of the fold on the end that isn't stapled. I chose two colours. Just be careful not to make the streamers too long or too heavy. Your kite will have a hard time lifting up. 

And you are ready to fly it! If there is no wind just whirl it around with your arm and it will loop de loop. It is also fun to just run and let it fly in your wake. Try not to stand too close to someone when you are loop de looping it because it hurts a bit getting it in the face. (My daughter found this out when I loop de looped it too close to her !! )