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Home › Articles › Activities › Let's Go Fly a Kite

Let's Go Fly a Kite

Old-fashioned Family Fun

By Teri Brown

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Kite flying was a beloved pastime long before Ben Franklin made it famous, and for good reason – it is the ultimate in springtime family fun. Kite flying offers something for everyone; it's beautiful, entertaining and challenging. Plus, it's a great way to get outside after a winter indoors.

Mel Hickman, executive director of the American Kitefliers Association, says that kite flying is the great equalizer. "Black, white, young, old, rich or poor, the wind either blows or it doesn't!" he says. "Kite flying doesn't discriminate."

Choosing a Kite
The type of kite you choose depends on what kind of kite flying you're going to do. For simple family entertainment you might want to start with your basic diamond-shaped or delta-type (triangular) kite. They fly best in light to medium winds. If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, you might try a box kite for windier days. Someday you and your family may graduate to acrobatic sports kites, but it's best to start simple.

The Right Time and Place

It's a known fact that you can't fly a kite on just any old day; it has to be a kite flying day! And just what makes the perfect kite flying day? A medium wind day with blue sky or fluffy white clouds. Never try to fly a kite if it looks stormy. Remember Ben Franklin? Exactly.

The perfect place for kite flying is in an open field away from power lines and trees. Make sure it's a fairly clear field without rocks or holes so you don't trip as you are looking upward. Beaches and parks are often wonderful places to fly kites, and beaches have the added bonus of being windy most of the time.


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