Bat Kite

Want to build a kite in less than 5 minutes? This kite is basically a paper airplane on a string. It’s fast and easy to make. The best thing about this kite is that it needs next to no wind to get airborne, so you can simply run with it to get it up in the sky.

You'll need to get: 11”x17” sheet of paper (you can also tape two 8.5" x 11" sheets together to make this size), 10 feet of string, two donut stickers (also known as page reinforcement stickers), a stapler, and a straw.

Here's what you do:

Experiment & Video

Take an 11x17-inch sheet of paper and fold it in half so it now becomes 8 ½ x 11 inches. Curl one corner tip to the center fold, 2 inches from the same end. Do the same with the other side, and secure the fold with a staple. Two inches below the staple, punch a hole near the center fold and attach donut stickers (to keep string from tearing through the paper). Attach a good length of string and run! This kite works with little-to-no wind. Just run!

Note: To make a string handle, cut a straw in half and thread one of the pieces onto the end of the string, looping the free end back onto the main line. Wind the excess string around the straw.

Teaching Tip: When we teach kids how to make this kite, we punch holes both on both sides of the staple and ask the kids which hole works best.

Troubleshooting: The bat kite needs very little wind to fly – in fact, most kids get their kites airborne just by running. Depending on where the staple is located, you can place your string forward or aft of (behind) the staple. Encourage kids to test and find their own answer, but our recommendation is to shoot for the aft hole 3.5 inches from the nose and the staple 1.5 inches from the nose. This kite is very forgiving about measurements.

What's Going On?

The How and Why Explanation Kites are airplanes on a string.  They use both high and low pressure to gain altitude and soar skyward.  Not all kites need tails—the tail section helps stabilize an otherwise unstable kite design by adding a bit of weight near the bottom.  While kites need to be lightweight, the framework needs to be strong, as they can withstand winds greater than 70 mph at higher altitudes.

To launch a kite, you can start with it on the ground and simply start running, hold it in your hands and toss it behind you as you run, or have someone hold it for you and toss it up as you start to run with the string. The best launch method depends on the kind of kite you’re working with. For example, the Bat Kite just needs to be tossed into the air with a kid running in front of it, while the rotor kite is going to require a windy day or a bicycle.

Warmly,
Aurora