Creative Autumn Activity for the Whole Family: Crazy Kites!

Autumn is upon us, bringing a crispness in the air, a colorful change in foliage, and a collection of outdoor activities to do as a family. For many, it also marks the last few warm days to get out and enjoy the weather before the pre-winter chills and frost appear. But a cool fall breeze whistling through the leaves of a tree doesn’t need to mark the end of family fun. In fact, it is an opportunity to crack out the kites with the kids to take advantage of the strong winds.

If your family doesn’t have kite, fear not. HughesNet and 4-H have teamed up to introduce Crazy Kites, a STEM education resource and activity teaches your kids how lift and air pressure work together to make things fly, with just a few household items!

Using items found around the house, you can easily create a kite with your kids. All you need is:
· 8.5” X 11” sheet of paper (1 sheet per child)
· Tape
· Scissors
· Plastic straws
· Sewing thread or string
· Breezy day or a fan

Your kids can take creative liberty and design their kites however they’d like! Create a kite shaped like a leaf, Jack-O-Lantern, ghost, or any other fall item! This activity allows your child to further expand their knowledge by testing their kite creations and making improvements to help their kites successfully soar in the sky. Adjust the length of the tail or the length of the bridle, or the overall size of the kite, it’s up to your children to determine what works best for their creation. The full activity can be found here. Be sure to share your child’s creations or improvements made to their kites in the comments below!