Simple Sled Kite

Welcome to this little simple sled kite tutorial using materials that you have at home. I hope you enjoy it! This is a simple kite that is easy to decorate and easy for kids of all ages to build. It does need a good amount of wind, or at least an eager person to run with it to make it fly. Hope you enjoy! The photo of the example is a bigger version of this kite. Once you have mastered this one using just a piece of paper, why not try making a bigger one!

Supplies

1 sheet of standard letter copy paper 8.5' x 11"

2 straws (at least 8" long) or skewers.

1 piece of string 22" long

1 ball of string for flying line

Tape

Hole punch

Scissors

Ruler

Optional: Surveyors or flagging tape.

Step 1: Lay Out and Mark the Paper

Lay a piece of paper lengthwise in front of you. On the long edges (the 11" sides), make marks 2" inches inward of the outside edge on the top edge and the bottom edge.

Step 2: Mark the Sides of the Paper

On the outside edge, make a mark 2 3/4" down from the top edge on both the left side and the right side.

Step 3: Draw Your Cut Lines

Draw a line from the top edge mark to the side mark then down to the bottom mark on both sides.

Step 4: Cut Along the Cut Lines

Cut along the lines you drew

Step 5: Make Your Bridle Attachment Points

Place a piece of tape on the side points and fold it over so both sides have tape on them. Punch a hole through the tape. This is your bridle attachment point.

Step 6: Attaching the Spars

Line one straw or skewer up from the mark on the top edge down to the bottom edge on both the left side and the right side. These are the spars of your kite and will give it support. Tape the straws/skewers to the sail while keeping them even and parallel.

Step 7: Tie on the Bridle

Tie one end of the 22" string to the hole you made in the bridle attachment point on one side, then tie the other end of the string to the other bridle attachment point. You want the string loose between to the two bridle attachment points. Tie as close to the end of the string as you can. You have now created a bridle for your kite.

Step 8: Tying Your Tow Point

Gently fold the kite in half by matching the bridle attachment points to one another, do not crease the paper. Find the center of the string/bridle, and tie a loop in the center. This loop is called your tow point.

Step 9: Tie on Your Flying Line

Tie your flying line to the tow point on the bridle. You are ready to fly! You can tape a little bit of surveyors/flagging tape to the bottom of the kite (furthest from the bridle points) as a tail. If you find that the kite is not flying very well, try to round the sail around the spars (straws). You are almost folding the paper so that the sides are perpendicular to the center body of the sail.