SIMPLER LIFESTYLE ACTIVITIES

Some activities are easy, fun stuff like kite flying or fishing.

Others are work related hobbies like gardening.

Let's Make a Kite

Flying kites or paper airplanes are fun activities to do on windy days.

As children, growing up in the country, we enjoyed making kites as much as flying them.

Materials needed to make a Diamond Shaped Kite:
1 54" x 1/8" x 3/8" wood strip with notched ends
1 36" x 1/8" x 3/8" wood strip with notched ends
1 36" x 48 1/2" piece of paper (or plastic)
2" wide clear tape
nylon string
3'x 2" rag strip for kite tail

(We used lightweight dried dog fennels which were always in abundant supply and 2 sheets of newspaper taped together or a large black trash bag. There are lots of other long, straight, lightweight wooden sticks that can be used also.)

Tie the two wooden strips (sticks) together in the shape of a cross with a small piece of the nylon string making sure the notched ends are all turned in the same direction.

Run a piece of string around the edges of the wood strips through the notches and tie both ends of the string together tightly so there is no slack in the string and it cannot come off the notches. (If using sticks, tie the string tightly to the sticks about a 1/4" from each end making a diamond shape with the string when it is tied to each stick.)

Cut the paper 1" bigger than the stringed wood strips. Fold under all four corners and tape them in place. This will reinforce the corners and allow the wood strips to stick through and not rip the paper.

Fold the paper over the string on all four sides and tape down well.

On the taped side (back side) of the kite, tie a piece of string to one end of the shorter wood strip. Pull the string across to the other side of the same wood strip and pull it tight enough to make a 3" bow (curve). Tie the string tightly in place.

On the front side, place a couple pieces of tape over the spot where the two wood strips are tied together. Poke a hole through the tape and paper(or plastic) on both sides of the spot where the two wood strips are tied together.

Take a 7' piece of string, thread it through the two punched holes and tie it tightly on the front side of the kite. Then tie the other end of the string to the bottom wood strip.

Take a 2" wide piece of rag strip that is approximately 3" long and tie to the bottom wood strip to add balance and weight.

Securely attach the nylon spool of string to the 7' piece of string that is already tied to the kite.

Now it is time for your test flight.

Hope you have fun flying your kite and it soars high above the earth.

Check back often for more activities!