Flying high: how to make paper kites at home

Learning how to make paper kites can lead to fun, creative, low-budget entertainment for the whole family. Our guide to kite arts and crafts features two simple tutorials for homemade paper kites.

• How to make paper kites with sticks
• How to make paper kites without sticks

How to make paper kites with sticks

If you’re looking for a fun DIY activity, making a kite   is a great place to start. Kites are the perfect canvas for creativity, and they’re so easy to make.

Here’s how to make paper kites step by step, using sticks or dowels:

1. Prepare a square-shaped paper/card. If you want to decorate the paper, do this first. Then firmly fold the piece of paper diagonally before opening it up again.
2. Put the first dowel in place. Take the shorter of the two dowels and place it in the crease in the middle of the paper. Make sure that it’s straight and covers the entire length of the crease. Use tape or glue at the ends to stick it in place, like Loctite 60 Seconds All-Purpose Glue.  
3. Put the second dowel in place. Choose a new corner of the paper. Tape or glue one end of the second dowel into place. Gently bend this dowel so it forms an arc, then stick the other end into place in the fourth and final corner.
4. Attach the ribbon. Using a long ribbon will help your kite to stay in the air. Add a dab of glue in the bottom corner of the kite and press the ribbon into place.
5. Attach the string. Tie a shorter piece of string to both sides of the arched dowel, then tie a long piece of string to the middle of the dowel.

Your kite is ready to fly!

How to make paper kites without sticks

Here’s how to make a paper kite that can fly, even without using dowels:

1. Prepare the paper. Put a sheet of paper in front of you in a vertical position and fold firmly in half. The fold should be at the bottom.
2. Mark the position for the wings and the string. Use a pencil and ruler to make two dots; one at the bottom of the paper, a couple of inches from the left edge, and another dot a couple of inches to the right of the first dot.
3. Make the wings. Gently fold the top left end of the paper without creasing it, so it touches the first dot. Follow the same process for the opposite side of the paper. Secure the wings at the point where you made the first dot, using a small dab of glue.
4. Make a hole. Place a small piece of tape over the second dot, covering both sides of the paper. Use a hole punch or pair of scissors to carefully make a hole over the dot.
5. Attach the string. Put the string through the hole and tie a knot.