Take advantage of spring breezes and make a kite! Fling a parachute out the window! Toss a glider! You can buy high tech kites and airplanes that fly perfectly, but there is something glorious in creating your own flying device and launching it on a warm and windy afternoon. The following projects are simple, but functional. You may have to make minor adjustments to increase their airborne capabilities, but that is a part of the wondrous process of learning, of using your imagination, of using hands to inform the mind. Make something that flies.
I have been trying out kite projects for years, looking for one that is simple, and truly flies. I made dozens but found they twisted instead of flew, or they were fussy or took too much time and special materials. Then I found this kite project from the Big Wind Kite Factory in Moloka’i, Hawaii. It is a gem. Thank you Jonathon!
What you will need:
1 sheet of 8 1/2 x 11” typing paper
1 8” bamboo shish kabob stick
masking tape (or clear adhesive tape)
plastic shopping bag for the tail
ruler
string to fly with
paper punch (optional)
Decorate the paper with paints, crayons, or felt tips. Fold the paper in half to 8 1/2 x 5 1/2”. Measure 1 1/2” from the fold at the top of the page and make a mark. Next measure and make a mark 4” at the bottom of the page from the fold. Using the ruler and pencil, draw a line to connect the two marks. This is your fold line. Fold the paper back along the line. Then turn the paper over and fold the other side even with it. Place a strip of tape along the fold lines to reinforce them. Pick up the paper and hold it as if it were a paper airplane (the folded sides are your ‘wings’). Then lay it down on its back and fold the flap (or keel) back and forth until it stands upright (otherwise it will act like a rudder and spin the kite in circles). To make a support for your kite, place the bamboo skewer across the kite between the two widest points. Trim if necessary, and tape into place. Punch a hole in the keel of your kite about one third down from the top (not too close to the edge or it might pull out!). Lastly, make a tail by cutting a plastic shopping bag into a 1” wide spiral all around. Tape into place at the bottom of the kite. You will need 6 to 10 feet of tail, depending upon the wind conditions. Tie kite string securely through the hole on the keel and fly her away!
It only takes three simple materials for a hot shot glider!
What you will need:
plastic straw
2 paper clips
1 piece 9x 12” construction paper
This simple glider flies beautifully and is easy to put together. Cut two strips down the length of the construction paper: one 1 1/2” wide and the other 3/4” wide. Insert the paper clips into the ends of the straw with the larger loop of the clip inside. Try and align them as close as possible. Fold the 3/4” strip in half and make a loop with it. Place the loop into a paper clip. Make a loop with the other strip and place it in the other paper clip. Adjust the paper clips so they are perfectly aligned. You now have two loops on both ends of the straw. Hold the glider in the middle of the straw with the loops hanging down, small loop forward. Give it a push! If it doesn’t glide right, make the larger loop smaller by pulling the end of the strip from the inside. Keep adjusting until you get a good glide!
This project has been around since man jumped from airplanes, but it never seems to lose its appeal! This also makes a great party activity.
What you will need:
plastic shopping bag
string
paper punch
paper hole reinforcers (optional)
plastic figure or a nut or bolt to use as a weight
Cut open the shopping bag and lay it flat. Now cut a square from the bag (the dimensions are not critical--any medium sized square will work). Now make a hole in each corner of the square with the paper punch and reinforce with a paper ring if desired. Cut 4 equal lengths of string approximately 12” long. Tie each string to a corner. Now tie on your weight. Ready for launching? Hold the parachute and weight together and throw it up into the air. You can also launch it from a window, or a tree.
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