Go Fly A Kite...For Fun!

Kite Safety 

Please fly safely.

A kite safety field card.

Print a kite safety card and carry it with your kites supplies.

Kite Safety

Another perspective on safety.

Check your local weather conditions.

Use the Weather Underground site as a tool to search for your expected weather conditions. Be sure you understand the specifications of the kite you will fly.

Judging Wind Speed

The Beafort scale is a way to judge the current wind conditions by looking for environmental responses to the wind.

The History of Kites 

How long have people been building kites?

A Quick Summary of Kites

472BC to present.

More History

A more descriptive history of kites.

Kite Organizations 

Yes, they do exist.

The Drachen Foundation

A non-profit organization that helps improve the public's knowledge of kites.

Great Kite Stores 

Where to look for kites, accessories and building supplies.

Into the Wind

Into The Wind is a great kite store that I like to visit and where I get most of my kites and building supplies.

Wind Power Sports

This store has a wide variety of kites and accessories.

Kitty Hawk Kites

This store has a wide range of kite products from simple single line kites, to power kites and all the way up to Hang Gliders.

Build Your Own Kite 

Kite Builder Plans

A good selection of kites to build.

Anthony's Kite Workshop

A nice resource for information on different types of kites.

Personalize Your Kite 

Line Climbers

Into the wind has line climbers. I have used my kite to drop lifesavers via a parachute to the kids below. The lifesaver parachute kit is available for purchase and comes with multiple paper parachutes.

Line Laundry

Nothing like having a few characters hanging from your line to attract attention.

Knots, Lines and Stakes 

Knots for Kite Flyers

The above link has nice descriptions and images of how to tie common knots. A Clinch knot made using 5 wraps is considered the strongest. Use a swivel on the end of your line to keep the line from twisting up.

Kite Lines

Ensure that you are using the appropriate strength line for your kite and current conditions. Usually line is made from dacron and each line is sold according to its strength, rated in pounds. I usually carry multiple lines with different ratings, each on their own hoop.

Spiral Stake

When launching kites alone, or when you want to fly multiple kites all by yourself, purchase a spiral stake. Use the stake to hold the line for you. Stakes are available in the pet department at a store near you.

Kite Lessons for Schools 

Lesson Planning

A link to a lesson which explains how to incorporate Geography, Art, Math, Writing and science into coursework with the help of kites.

Grades K-8 Kite Lesson

Course work on science, math and art.

Reading Lesson Grades 1-5

Use this reading lesson and possibly tie it into a kite building exercise.

Teaching Ideas

A site which provides ideas on how to use kites to explore different topics.

Kites Support Science 

Atmospheric Research Kites

Kites help support atmospheric research.

Historic Uses

Kites were a good way to evaluate weather conditions before we discovered how to fly.

Underwater Electric Kite

Scientist consider meteorology (the study of the atmosphere) as the study of fluid dyanamics, so why not fly a kite underwater!

Will kites solve our energy crisis?

Saul Griffith presented at the TED conference on how kites might be used to generate renewable energy.

Kite Aerial Photography 

Get a bird's eye view.

Make Magazine

Volume 1 of O'Reilly's Make magazine included instructions for making your own camera mount, to do kite aerial photography.

Charles Benton

This is the person who helped create the article in Make volume 1.

Scott Haefner

This site contains some nice examples of what is possible as well as the equipment needed.

Great Plains

Another site with nice photographs and a good description of needed equipment.

Power Kites, Extreme Kite Sports 

For kite flyers who want to get around.

Kite Buggying

Use wheels to move around.

Kite Skiing / Boarding

Use a snowboard or skis to move around.

Kite Surfing School

I assume that before I try it, I should go to school.

Kite Skating

Use skates to move you around.