Tom Goes Kiteboarding

Ideas to Try

Before you start, think about how to use the different equipment safely. Will you need to wear safety gear? Check with your teacher if you are not sure.

Make a Diamond Kite
You will need: two large, strong polythene carrier bags, thin dowelling or cane (green garden cane is ideal), thin string, strong waterproof sticky tape, a metal split ring (the kind used to hang curtains), sandpaper, marker pen, needle, scissors, hacksaw, ruler.

Make a Line Reel
This handle lets you keep control of the kite line and stops it from getting tangled.

You will need: sheet of stiff cardboard, ball of thin string, pencil, ruler, sandpaper, craft knife and cutting mat, PVA glue.

Flying Your Kite

Safety Rules

• Choose a wide-open space away from houses, trees and overhead wires.
• Use gloves if the wind is strong so that you don’t get ‘rope burns’ from your kite line.
• Never fly a kite in stormy weather as there is a danger of lightning striking your kite.
• Never fly your kite close to airfields.

Tips on Getting Airborne

• Hold the kite upright by the bottom corner and at arm’s length.
• Turn so that you have your back to the wind.
• Let out a little line.
• Launch the kite gently upwards and at the same time tug sharply on the line.
• As the kite rises, unwind more line.
• If your kite is very wobbly in the air, try adding a longer tail.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.

1.

Cut a carrier bag along the bottom and one side. Open it out into a flat sheet of polythene.

2.

Mark and cut out a rectangle of polythene 30cm by 60cm.

3.

Fold the rectangle in half longways.

4.

Make a mark on the open long side about 15cm from one end.

5.

Draw a triangle on the polythene, with two of its points touching the fold at either end of the rectangle and the third point touching the mark you made.

6.

Cut through both layers of polythene along the outline you have drawn. When you open up the fold, you are left with a diamond-shaped piece of polythene. This will be your kite’s sail.

7.

Measure and cut two pieces of cane to make the cross struts, or spars, of the kite. Use sandpaper to smooth down any rough edges and take away any splinters that might tear your kite.

8.

Lay the two struts on the diamond of polythene. Tie the struts tightly together where they cross with string.

9.

Tape the end of each strut to a corner of the kite. It helps to fold the point of the corner over the end of the strut and then wrap tape around to make a kind of pocket to hold the strut in place. When this is done, the polythene sail should be stretched tightly across the struts.

10.

Turn the kite over.

11.

Cut another triangle of polythene from the second bag. It should be a right-angled triangle, about 30cm long with a base of about 12cm. This will be the fin of the kite.

12.

Tape the longest edge of the fin down the centre of the kite, about 1cm from the top and on the opposite side from the struts.

13.

Cover the right-angled corner of the fin with several strips of tape to reinforce it. Then make a hole through the corner with a needle. Push the end of a curtain ring into this hole so that the ring is held firmly in the corner of the fin. The tape should stop the polythene from tearing.

14.

Cut two long ribbons of polythene (about 2cm by 100cm) and tape them to the base of the kite. These tails will help keep your kite stable in the air.

15.

The kite line will be tied to the curtain ring. Before you fly your kite you will need to make a line reel.

1.

Mark out the shape of the line reel given here onto a sheet of stiff cardboard.

2.

Put the cardboard onto a cutting mat and carefully cut out the shape.

3.

Use the shape you have cut out as a template to mark out two more shapes on card.

4.

Cut out the other two shapes.

5.

Glue the three cardboard shapes one on top of the other to make a strongly reinforced line reel.

6.

Gently rub off any rough edges with sandpaper.

7.

Wind the ball of string around the upright part of the T-shaped line reel.