Like gunpowder, paper and compass, kites were invented in China! And sure enough, if you stroll around any of Beijing’s city parks on a fine spring day, you’re bound to see more than a few colorful spots in the (currently) blue sky.
We’ve got a guide to all the best places to go fly a kite in this month’s magazine. But this morning’s challenge is to make a kite at home. We’ve got four levels of kites to try, so whether you want to make something quick and simple or impressive, read on!
Easiest Paper Kite
This kite doesn’t even require struts and there’s no glueing involved.
Easy Paper Kite with Tail
A fluttering tail gives this kite stability and grace. This is another good project for younger kids. (Pictured at the top of the article).
Traditional Kite
This is the shape kids draw when they think of kites! Assembling the kite may take a little while.
Tetrahedral
Suitable for older children, or younger kids with a lot of parental intervention, this project takes about 3 hours but yields a cool 3D design.
Photos courtesy of ReadsInTrees and Verdantic (Instructables), Stormthecastle and Jill Britton.
