Make a simple kite from common household items! July and August are great months to take advantage of breezy, kite-flying conditions, especially at these East Bay locations: Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley, Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline in Richmond, Crown Memorial Beach in Alameda, and Marina Park in San Leandro.
1. Use two 3″–4″ pieces of scotch or masking tape to reinforce the outside, open edges of both the front and the back of the bag (this will ensure that the bag doesn’t rip in the next step).
2. With the bag closed, punch two holes about 4″ apart through the taped edges of the bag. (Note: you’ll be punching through two layers of the bag, so when it’s opened up, there’ll be four holes altogether.)
3. Decorate the bag using markers, colored pencils, or crayons. Paint is ok to use, as long as the bag doesn’t get too heavy!
4. Cut two 24″–30″ pieces of yarn or string. Tie one string to the holes on one side of the bag, and the other to the holes on the opposite side.
5. Cut 10–15 pieces of crepe paper, yarn, or other long, thin pieces of light material (about 12″–15″ long) to create decorative “tails” for the kite.
6. Close the bag. Use tape or glue to attach the tails to the small rectangle (that is, the bottom of the bag).
7. Add a sturdy handle for your child to hold onto as they fly the kite by looping the strings (attached to the holes made in the open edges of the bag) around a chopstick or a popsicle stick. Use a 1″–2″ piece of tape to securely attach the yarn onto the stick.
