Kite flying is a perfect family activity! You and your friends can make your own kites - the instructions are below. Take your homemade kites out to the yard or park, away from any power lines, trees or other unsafe obstacles. Run and let your kite catch the wind! Get together with friends for a kite parade, or play follow-the-leader in the sky.

Remember to follow the 3 C's of kite safety - caution, courtesy and common sense. Get outside and enjoy - go fly a kite!

Paper Kite

Equipment needed: (1) 81/2 x 11" piece of paper; (1) 8" wooden skewer, chopstick or dowel; 6-10 feet of ribbon; masking tape or other tape; 6-10 feet of string, scissors, hole punch (optional), (1) small piece of cardboard (use an empty cereal box to cut out a 1" x 3" piece)

Procedure: Fold a sheet of 81/2" x 11" brightly-colored or decorated paper in half to 81/2" x 51/2". Fold again along the diagonal line A in Figure 2. Fold back one side forming kite shape in Figure 3. Place tape firmly along fold line AB to stiffen the spine of the kite. Place wooden skewer from point C to D and tape it down firmly. Cut off 6-10 feet of ribbon and tape it to the bottom of the kite at B. Flip kite over and fold the flap back and forth if needed until it is perpendicular to the front of the kite. Punch a hole in the flap at E, about 1/3 down from the top point A. Tie one end of the string to the hole and wind the other end around a small piece of cardboard that will be your string winder.

Paper Bag Kite

Equipment needed: paper bag, crepe paper or ribbon, hole punch (optional), string, scissors

Procedure: Decorate a paper bag using crayons, markers, stickers, etc. Glue a crepe paper streamer or ribbon to each bottom corner. Punch a hole in 2 opposite sides of the bag, near the top. Tie a short piece of string through the holes to make a loop. Attach a long string for a flying line to the loop.