Intellectual Activity

Making Kites

Making kites gives children a satisfying mix of design, hands-on building, and outdoor testing. It works well as an intellectual activity because small changes in structure affect the final result.

Time30 to 40 minutes
Best ForSmall groups with adult help
SpaceTables for building and outdoor space for testing
SuppliesLight sticks, paper, tape, string, ribbon, markers

How To Run It

  1. Show a finished sample kite so the children can picture what they are making.
  2. Make a simple frame by crossing one longer stick with one shorter stick, placing the shorter stick across the upper third of the longer one.
  3. Tape the sticks tightly where they cross so the frame does not slide or twist.
  4. Lay the frame on newspaper or a cut-open plastic grocery bag, trace a diamond shape around it, and leave about an inch of extra material around the outside.
  5. Cut out the shape, fold the extra edge over the sticks, and tape it down to hold the kite body in place.
  6. Tie or tape string at the center of the cross point and make a tail from ribbon, yarn, fabric strips, or plastic strips.
  7. Let the children decorate the kite, then test it outside and adjust the tail if it spins too much.

What To Use

  • Sticks: Bamboo skewers, thin wooden dowels, craft sticks taped together, or lightweight garden stakes all work well.
  • Where to find sticks: Dollar stores, Walmart, craft stores, hardware stores, and grocery stores often carry skewers or dowels. Leaders may also already have bamboo skewers in the kitchen.
  • String: Kite string is great, but cotton string, kitchen twine, yarn, or light craft string can also work for small homemade kites.
  • Where to find string: Dollar stores, Walmart, craft stores, hardware stores, and kitchen drawers are all easy places to look.
  • Kite body: Newspaper is easy to decorate, while plastic grocery bags are lighter and often fly better in damp grass or light wind.

Tape That Works Best

  • Best overall: Clear packing tape holds the frame and kite body together very well and does not tear easily in wind.
  • Good easy option: Regular clear tape works if the kites are small and the weather is mild.
  • Best for younger kids: Painter's tape is easier to tear by hand, but it does not hold as strongly outdoors.
  • What to avoid: Glue sticks and school glue usually do not hold well on plastic bags, and masking tape can peel off too easily outside.

How To Cut Grocery Bags

  1. Flatten the grocery bag on a table.
  2. Cut off the handles and the sealed bottom strip.
  3. Cut straight down one side seam so the bag opens into one flat sheet.
  4. Smooth it out and place your kite frame or paper pattern on top.
  5. Trace around the pattern, leaving about one inch around the edges so you have room to fold and tape it over the frame.

Use A Simple Pattern

Using one reusable pattern is helpful because every kite body will be cut to the same shape and size. If leaders pre-cut the sticks, they can make the pattern to match those stick lengths so the newspaper or plastic bag fits the frame more easily and the activity stays simple for beginners.

Simple beginner pattern: Use one vertical stick about 20 inches long and one cross stick about 14 inches long. Put the cross stick about 6 inches down from the top. Trace a diamond shape around that frame and use the same shape for every kite.

Helpful Tips

  • Pre-cut some pieces if your group is younger.
  • Use longer tails if the kite spins too much.
  • Choose a day with light to moderate wind.
Optional ready-made kite: If leaders would rather use a pre-made kite instead of building one from scratch, this Amazon kite option could be a good alternative. It is a blank diamond-style kite that children can decorate themselves, so it still feels creative while removing most of the building steps. It is designed to be beginner-friendly, lightweight, portable, and easy to fly in open spaces like grass or the beach, which can make it a simpler choice for leaders who want a more predictable activity.

Step Illustration

This visual works well for homemade kites using either newspaper or a plastic grocery bag as the kite body.

Step-by-step illustration showing how to make a homemade kite from newspaper or a plastic bag

Printable Kite Guide

Print this guide for leaders or table helpers. It includes both material options and a simple step list.

Material options: Newspaper is easy to tape and decorate. Plastic grocery bags are lighter and hold up better if the grass is damp or the wind is stronger.
Best supplies to look for: Bamboo skewers or thin dowels work well for the frame. Kite string, cotton string, kitchen twine, or light yarn all work for the line. Leaders can usually find these at dollar stores, Walmart, craft stores, hardware stores, or in kitchen drawers at home.
Best tape and pattern tip: Clear packing tape usually works best. It also helps to make one simple diamond pattern from cardstock or cardboard and trace it for every newspaper or plastic-bag kite.