OH Guide: Taking flight with a kite

I know that kite flying is synonymous with spring but as my wiser counterpart pointed out to me "Any time there's wind is a good time for kites." In fact summertime for our family usually contains many o' kite flying sessions at the beach.

Plus, kites can be so much more than getting outside with a 99 Cent store Alien kite and wasting the buck getting it tangled on a telephone wire. For parents looking to trick their kids into doing something educational over the summer in an attempt to keep those brains fresh kites are the perfect topic. Reading, science, math, art, exercise, and history--it can cover so much.

Start with the history and science behind kites:

A good place for history is Carnetdevol.org. The site contains a well put together kite history section that includes a time line and some great topic specific sections such as aerial photography and the Wright Brothers. The American Kitefliers Association site's National Kite Month section offers the history of kite flying, teacher resources and ideas that are perfect for parents, stuff for kids like games, safety and science behind kite flying.

Now that your kids know the hows and whys of kites they are ready to begin building the perfect flying machine:

If you're looking to turn kite flying into a real hobby KiteBuilder.com has an awesome kite plans "knowledge base" page that links to many cool kite designs with various difficulty levels. Their user forums have helpful tips to help your kite building be a success. If you're in need of a kite suitable for a tot this kid kite tutorial is a nice set of plans that are easy to follow and yields a sweet little mini-kite. Want to throw in a short lesson on recycling? Several clever kite crafters have come up with tutorials using found objects. This WikiHow: How to make a plastic bag kite tutorial is simple to follow, requires objects you probably already have around the house and gives you something to feel good about knowing that you've cut consumption. How zen is it knowing your placing something useful like a plastic bag into nature in a new, beautiful way and not a harmful, ugly way? Or if you want to take your kite flying to a higher level but you still think a plastic grocery bag doesn't a classy kite make you might want to check out this Gentleman's Kite tutorial. Classy, I say. Of course Family Fun can't be left out of all this kite crafting fun for the family so they offer a fierce Dragon Kite tutorial. Building a kite is a great way for kids to practice measuring and reading skills while giving those fine motor skills a workout.

However, if all this kite building just doesn't fit into your hectic lifestyle but you still want to get those flags a flying you might want to check out purchasing something nifty:

My mother bought a really awesome dragon kite at Costco for a present. When he's taken it out he gets many o' raves. Unfortunately, Costco isn't selling these babies right now but I was able to find a similar 3-D Dragon Kite from the same manufacturer in their X Kites online shop. The best part about this kite is that it's $10 and is made well with really nice nylon. However if I were a billionaire really wanting to impress the kiddies I'd buy
this Octopus show kite by Peter Lynn and hire someone to fly it for us. Because I'm not even close to owning my own monkey butler I'd settle for Mr. Lynn's small octopus kite which looks like it would move in the most magnificent ways.

Once you get your masterpiece figured out your family is going to want to rush outside and give it a go:

Your family will need to prepare for the main kite flying event to prevent any unnecessary damage after all that hard work. Thanks to an awesome Instructables member you can read up on "Kiting Basics" to make sure your day doesn't end in tears. Another helpful site that has everything you wanted to know about kites and some stuff you didn't is Virtual Kite Zoo. This site has it all and links to some really great resources on kite building and goodies, safety tips, lift-offs and landings.

Make sure to pack the perfect picnic lunch for your special outing:

To insure the day is a hit you might want to bake up a batch of
Kite Cupcakes from none other than master cupcake makers Family Fun...How do they do it?

As your perfect kite flying day concludes tuck those tired aviators into bed with a nice kite bedtime story:

Hans Silvester's new book "Into the Wind: The Art of the Kite is truly an inspirational book that captures the beauty of kite flying through photographs taken in such amazing places like Sri Lanka, Bolivia, China and Italy. "Kite Flying" by Grace Lin is a sweet story following a family's day of building a dragon kite together then watching it take flight. The heart warming story shows the bond of family while the colorful pictures help illustrate this special day. Cozy up and cuddle with a good book.

Extend the learning adventure with a field trip:

Not done with all this kite flying yet? Why not take a field trip? Check out the Drachen Foundation site to find kite museums, festivals, conferences and retreats.

Deeply exploring a topic like kite flying, presenting projects that require all sorts of thinking, manipulating and using the senses all while including as many curricular areas as possible will not only create meaningful experiences and memories for your little ones it also works important academic skills, teaches necessary life skills and provides tons of delicious family bonding.