I bet, if you’re a long-suffering parent, you’ve tried everything to get your kids to spend some quality time outside rather than being cooped up inside with sugary snacks and television. There are many activities you can persuade them to take up to get them out and about though, and nothing is quite as satisfying or as enjoyable as kite flying

Getting Hold Of a Decent Kite

Kite flying is an age old hobby, and is something you can spend many hours with your kids enjoying too. If you are new to kite flying and have never tried anything like it before then fear not, it’s very easy

There are several different designs of kite that you can choose from to get started, some are more easy to fly than others and will provide a more satisfactory experience for your kids

Diamond Kite

The most basic type of kite, and the most traditional. I bet if you’ve ever seen pictures of Ben Franklin flying his kite in a thunderstorm, it’ll have been one of these (Handy Safety Tip - Don’t go flying your kite in a thunderstorm!)

These are very cheap and easy to construct and will provide the most interesting flying experience as they dart and swoop around the sky. They come with a tail which hangs from the kite which can be lengthened or tied to a ballast to enhance stability.

Box Kite

If you’re looking for a few more thrills during your day out with the kite, then look no further than the Box Kite. This kite, with more complex construction than the diamond kite, is capable of many more interesting manouvers. It can be made to swoop, hang in the air, spin around, zoom at great speeds and fly as high as the string it’s attached to!

The more expensive models that professional kite flyers use are constructed from oiled silk or linen sails and are flown with lightweight steel cable attached. I doubt you’ll be needing anything like that though! A simple, durable wooden frame and cotton string is more than enough to provide a thrilling experience

Stunt Kite

The Stunt kite, (or trick kite / sport kite) is a recent development which has allowed the art of kite flying to develop into a sport for enthusiasts. The construction of the stunt kite allows for a great amount of control and is used by professionals to perfom complex tricks and manouvers, in various acrobatic aerial displays.

You may think this would be beyond you and that these sort of things are only for the professionals, but the great thing about kite flying is that the sky is, quite literally, the limit. Stunt kites can be purchased for very reasonable prices and, once you’ve got them airborne, you can play around and experiment as much as you like.

Whichever kite you choose, your kids will love it, and so will you!

All You Need Is… Wind!

It’s fair to say that without this simple ingredient, kite flying becomes rather, well, impossible! If you find yourself on a gusty, blustery day with nothing to do and a couple of hyperactive kids running screaming around the place then, well, it’s a perfect opportunity to get out that kite and go on a sky high adventure! Enjoy!