How to Make a Kite At Home From Recycled Materials

With the Annual Avalon Park Kite Day just around the corner on March 19th, here is a great tutorial on how to make a kite right from your own home with your friends and family. While kites are generally considered children’s toys, kite building can actually be both fun and fulfilling for adults as well. If you have the right materials and some basic knowledge of how kites work, it’s possible to build your own custom kite that flies high and fast, giving you countless hours of entertainment in the process. In this article, we’ll show you how to make a kite at home from recycled materials. You’ll need just two things - an empty beverage container, and some waxed string or fishing line.

Choose your materials

Making your own kite is all about experimentation. Your first kite might not be as impressive as you’d like it to be, but, with time and practice, you’ll become a pro in no time. While there are tons of materials you can use to build a great homemade kite, here are five options worth considering:

Paper—This material is ideal for crafting small and medium-sized flyers that fly straight up into the air. It’s easy to work with paper, making it a great option for beginners who need something fast and simple.

Plastic Bottles—Plastic bottles come in every size imaginable, making them incredibly useful for creating DIY kites of any size or shape. You can cut plastic bottles down into smaller pieces for smaller crafts, or lengthen their shape for taller ones.

Sticks and Twigs—Strong winds won’t faze your stick-and-twig creations; they hold up better than most other kinds of DIY kites. The only downside? These materials will keep your flyer grounded when there isn’t enough wind to lift it off the ground.

Cork/Bamboo Skewers—If you aren’t much of a crafter and don’t have access to many crafting supplies, try using recycled food items (like cork or bamboo skewers) to make your kite! All you need is some glue.

Balloons—Balloons may seem whimsical, but they actually make surprisingly sturdy flying machines (if done right).

Get the measurements right A kite’s flying success depends on accurate measurements. A kite is basically a sail, and like any sail, it must be properly proportioned if it’s going to catch enough wind to get off the ground. One of your main jobs as a builder is making sure these proportions are correct. When you select your materials—and when you make all of your cuts—keep in mind that tight grain equals less flex. Flex equals loss of tension (the root cause of a failed flight), so try to use wood with straight lines and minimal figure.

Test fly it! After you’ve assembled your kite, bring it outside on a windy day. Keep an eye on it as you let it loose and watch how it behaves—if there are any tears or holes, you may need to seal them up with tape or repair them with glue. If your kite still won’t fly well, try changing out some of its materials for different ones. For example, if using fabric isn’t working for you, consider using paper or corrugated cardboard. Now that you know how to make a kite at home from recycled materials , give it another go! Just remember to be patient and stay calm: It can take a little while before your kite takes flight.

We hope to see all of your great creations at the Flagpole Lot across from Mejana Mediterranean Grille on March 19th at 10 am for the Avalon Park Kite Day.

For more information on leasing at The Flats, contact our leasing office at (407) 273-4337.