Kite Flying Tips and Lesson Ideas for Kids: How to Launch and fly a Kite
Have you ever been kite flying with kids? Children absolutely love flying kites! What could be more fun than getting outside to make a colorful kite dance in the breeze?
Kids love the challenge and the thrill of getting the kite up and into the air. Once they figure out how to get it flying they can begin to master the challenge of keeping the kite in the air, and maybe even learn a trick or two.
This post is a part of the Get Outside & Connect Series. Click on the link to learn more about it.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Thank you for choosing to support this blog!
Kite Flying Tips and Lesson Ideas for Kids
Kite Flying Tips and Lesson Ideas for Kids: Benefits of Kite Play
There are many lessons to be learned while flying a kite. Kids can learn about science, physics, weather, and ecology.
Kite flying also helps develop hand-eye coordination, kinesthetic awareness, and gross motor skills.
Choosing to make your own kite turns kite flying with kids into a STEAM activity. Kids can learn a lot from designing, building, and decorating their own kites. DIY kite making resources can be found in “Pick Your Kite” below.
Kite Flying Tips and Lesson Ideas for Kids: Getting Ready to Fly a Kite
Kite Flying Tips and Lesson Ideas for Kids: Pick Your Kite
There are many types of kites to choose from. Each has been designed to do something different in the sky. If you’d like to make your own kite check out How to Make a Kite. There are 27 awesome DIY kite ideas with step by step directions.
If you would prefer to purchase a kite, the standard shapes are the easiest to fly. For a fun single line kite that is relatively simple to fly try one of these:
Kite Flying Tips and Lesson Ideas for Kids: Wait for Wind
The best conditions to fly a kite are when it’s breezy but not too windy. Days with consistent light to medium winds are good kite flying days. If you can feel the wind on your face, there is probably enough wind to fly a kite.
If leaves in the trees are hardly moving, then the wind may be too light. If the trees are swaying, or you can hear flags flapping, there may be too much wind. If there are flags waving and leaves rustling it’s probably a great day to fly a kite!
Warning: Don’t fly kites on days where rain or lightning is possible — it’s too dangerous to risk!
Kite Flying Tips and Lesson Ideas for Kids: Location, Location, Location
Look for a space that has a large open area without trees, power lines, streets or an airport nearby. Beaches, parks, fields, and other wide open spaces are perfect for kite flying. The more room you have, the more fun you will have kite flying with kids.
As wind goes around trees, buildings, and hills, it gets bumpy — this is called “turbulence.” Stay as far away as you can from obstacles that cause turbulence. Don’t even let your kite get close to trees or other obstacles downwind. The wind gets turbulent as it gets close to large objects and kites may get drawn in and crash.
Kite Flying Tips and Lesson Ideas for Kids: Safety Meeting
When I was working as a lifeguard down in Venice years ago I had to treat a young boy with a laceration to his head that could have been prevented. His older brother had decided it would be fun to try to hit his little brother with the kite. Turns out he was wrong.
Related Article: 25 Beach Safety Tips from an Ocean Lifeguard Mom
Please establish rules and teach your children how to be safe before you fly a kite. Make sure you talk to your kids about how to fly a kite safely before launch. This includes being aware of any surrounding obstacles and basic flying skills.
Teach your children hand signals so you don’t have to yell and hope they understand you. We use a thumbs up sign to tell our daughter to release the kite, a flat “stop” hand to tell her to freeze right where she is, and finger pointed in whatever direction we want her to go.
Kite Flying Tips and Lesson Ideas for Kids: How to Launch and fly a Kite
There are several ways to launch a kite depending on the wind conditions, the number of kite fliers available to help, and the age of the fliers.
How to Launch and fly a Kite: Running Launch
Young children love to run to launch a kite. This is fun for kids, but it is not (I repeat not) the best way to launch. If you would like to launch this way make sure your child is running into the wind with only a little bit of line. Once the wind catches it they have to stop and let out more line — this is usually difficult to do.
How to Launch and fly a Kite: Standing Launch in Good Wind
Stand with your back to the wind and hold your kite up as high as you can. Make sure the nose is pointing straight up, and then gently let it go. Don’t throw it into the air, just gently release it into the wind. Let line out only as fast as the wind lifts the kite. If the wind lulls, pull in line to make your kite gain altitude. All you need to do is repeat this process until the kite gets up into steady winds.
How to Launch and fly a Kite: Standing Launch in Light Wind
Allow your child hold your kite about fifty feet away. Signal them with a thumbs up when you are ready for them to release it. The kite should shoot up into the sky, just like if you were running.
When you get a little height, let out more line, then pull in again to gain altitude. Soon you will be up in the stronger winds and flying high. Once you get the kite up, allow your child to fly it. Later you can switch positions so your child can practice getting the kite into the air.
How to Launch and fly a Kite: Flight Rules
- Always keep an eye on your kite while it is flying. If something goes wrong, you want to see it and fix things before a crash.
- Don’t let out too much line. One hundred feet or so is plenty. It’s hard for people to see and enjoy if a kite gets too high.
- If your flying line becomes slack, bring in a little. If the kite begins to pull too hard or act unstable, let some line out.
How to Launch and fly a Kite: How to Bring It In
When finished flying your kite, simply wind the kite string around the spool or handle to bring it in. Easy peasy!
Kite flying with kids is a fun outdoor activity with many benefits and opportunities to learn. It’s the perfect activity for homeschoolers and families looking to get outside, connect and have fun while learning through play!
You May Also Like
- Get Outside and Connect
- Shadow Art Outdoor STEAM for Kids
- Planting Sunflowers with Kids
- Top 10 Nature Study Supplies
- DIY Nature Memory Game
- Nature Scavenger Hunt
- All Season Hand and Fingerprint Tree
The One Essential Tool You Need To Get Organized For Good!
Join the Rhythms of Play community to get organized, connect with your kids, and find the FREEDOM to do the things you LOVE!
nell
The One Essential Tool You Need to Get Organized for Good!
Join the Rhythms of Play community to get organized, connect with your kids, and find the FREEDOM to do the things you LOVE!
Your information is 100% secure and will NEVER be shared with anyone.
My boys love flying kites with us. Since it’s been warming up, we’ve been going out a lot for this and my father-in-law just bought them a new (huge) kite! We also have a kite event by us coming up in the next couple of months and it should be a lot of fun!
Thats great Alyssa! We have our annual kite day were we live this Saturday!