DIY Homeschooler

April is National Kite Month. With little ones antsy to get out and enjoy the warmer weather and get a head start on celebrating the end of a learning term, here are 12 fun ways you can go fly a kite — and learn something along the way.

Table of Contents

• 1. Enjoy a kite unit study.
• 2. Read books about kites.
• 3. Learn the history of kite flying.
• 4. Learn how others used kites in their experiments.
• 5. Learn more about the wind.
• 6. Learn about the things that make a kite fly!
• 7. Experiment.
• 8. Study the anatomy of a kite.
• 9. Learn how the bridle point makes a difference.
• 10. Learn how a tail helps stabilize the kite.
• 11. Build a kite!
• 12. Fly!

1. Enjoy a kite unit study.

• Fun and Wonderful Kites ~ Free Unit Study
  Free notebook-based unit study that explores the history, types, and flight of kites. Great unit!

2. Read books about kites.

• Curious George Flies a Kite by H. A. Rey
• Catch the Wind: All About Kites by Gail Gibbons

3. Learn the history of kite flying.

• Kite History
• Narrate what you learn.

4. Learn how others used kites in their experiments.

• Famous Historic Kite Flights
• Kite History Timeline
• Free Science Studies: Guglielmo Marconi
• Free Science Studies: Orville & Wilbur Wright
• Free History Studies: Benjamin Franklin {Part 2}

5. Learn more about the wind.

• Windy Day Experiments {Free}
  Lots of ways to experiment.

6. Learn about the things that make a kite fly!

• How Kites Fly

7. Experiment.

• Try before you fly!

8. Study the anatomy of a kite.

• Parts of a Kite
• Draw your own diagram of the standard diamond kite and label it.

9. Learn how the bridle point makes a difference.

• The Wright Stuff: Using Kites to Study Aerodynamics

10. Learn how a tail helps stabilize the kite.

• Kite Tails

11. Build a kite!

• You’ll find complete instructions in Chapter 2 of Home-made Toys for Girls and Boys by A. Neely Hall.
• Diamond kite building instructions.

12. Fly!

• How to Fly a Kite
• Commemorate the event.
• Make a kite cake (archived) to celebrate.