How to fly a kite

Do you know how to fly a kite? There are a few simple steps you can do to make flying a kite with your children successful and lots of fun. 

We have recently enjoyed a coastal holiday on Australia’s north eastern beaches. The weather can be relied upon to be perfectly warm, however, we did experience one day of winds. Hubby suggested that he make the most of the opportunity and teach Possum how to fly a kite. Do you remember flying kites as a child? I think it has to be on every child’s bucket list of things to do. 

Recommended age: 3+ years

(Active supervision is required on all my activities) 

We found these wonderful little pocket kites by Tiger Tribe at a local toy shop to where we were staying. It required no tricky poles and once unzipped from its container it expanded to a perfectly sized kite for young children. These are not suitable you can always make your own kite, such as this wonderfully simple handmade kite by The Craft Train. 

How to fly a kite

There are a few simple steps you can take to be able to fly a kite. Of course the most important factor when flying a kite is having a wide open space and a consistently windy day. 

1. Work out the direction the wind is traveling. The kite will fly with greater success if run against the wind to allow it to take flight. 

2. For little children, keep the kite string is short, say 3-4 meters in length. It will make flying the kite much easier to get off the ground and keep in the air. 

3. Having another person hold up the kite and release it as the child begins running is a great way to give the kite instant hight and catch the wind sooner. 

4. Run against the wind until your kite gets enough hight. If it is a particularly windy day then you should be able to keep the kite up in the air by lightly tugging on the string. 

Here is Possum (aged 2.5 years) giving you a simple video example of how to fly a kite. 

 Of course flying a kite can become quite exhausting but is a great outdoor activity that promotes exercise and is lots and lots of fun. 

When was the last time you flew a kite?

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