I remember one windy day a few years ago when I took my classroom outside to fly kites as an activity for their spring party. I figured they knew how. After all, as a child, my sisters and I often looked for the perfect weather to send these paper or plastic lightweights sailing through the air. But I was shocked at how many kids in my classroom had never flown a kite before and had no idea how to even launch a kite into the sky, much less keep it there.

Still, the idea of kite flying thrilled them. And, as a teacher, I saw an opportunity to make our experience into a STEM activity. If you are interested in trying it too, learn about the four forces needed for flight—lift, weight, thrust, and drag—as explained in an article by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Can’t get enough? For fun I listed a couple of fiction books about kites kids might enjoy reading. I also provided a few simple steps you can take to try and fly your own kite along with questions you can ask before or after your adventure to take your learning to the next level. Finally, you can click this link to view a kid-friendly video that shows you how to make your own kite.

Fiction Books:

1. Kite Day: A Bear and Mole Story
2. Biscuit Flies a Kite
3. Curious George Flies a Kite
4. Oh, Bear!
5. Rupert Flies a Kite

Steps to fly:

1. Buy a simple kite from the store and assemble it.
2. Find a wide open (no trees or power lines!) and windy space to launch it.
3. Start by facing away from the wind.
4. Hold the string near the kite and lift it. Wait until it catches a generous amount of wind, and then, still holding it in place, let out a little line.
5. When you feel tension, let go with one hand while holding tight to the string. Continue to feed out string and allow the kite to climb.
6. Keep the line tight and maneuver the string to keep the kite from sinking back to the ground. Although if it does, you can simply launch it again!

Questions to ask your child:

1. Why do you think kites are made out of light material?
2. What role do you think the kite’s tail plays?
3. Why do we need wind to make a kite work?
4. What changes might you make to your kite to make it fly better?

Hope you enjoy your next windy adventure!

Lori Scott

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