How to Make Kites From Shopping Bags
Flat paper bags from department stores and boutiques can be made into kites that really fly. It’s one of the most innovative toy making crafts you can share with a child. The inside of the bag faces you as the kite flies, so children can decorate and color them with personal touches. Enjoy the fun of crafting and playing when you make kites from shopping bags.
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Instructions
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How to Make Kites From Shopping Bags
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1
Draw the center cut line. Measure the width of the bag across the top and bottom. Mark the center at both ends. Use a straight edge to scribe a line lengthwise down the center.
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2
Mark the string holes. Make a 2 inch line perpendicular across the center cut line, approximately 2/5 from the top. On an 18 inch bag mark 7 inches from the top. For a 16 inch bag, 6 inches. Draw a dot at both ends.
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3
Draw the fins. Now mark 1/2 inch above the string hole line and scribe from there to both top corners. Mark 1/2 inch below the line and draw lines from there to the bottom corners.
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4
Cut the bag open. Use scissors to cut down the center cut line. Stop at the bottom seam. Cut the entire bottom off. Cut the fins out along the diagonal lines. Cut off the handles.
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5
Decorate your kite. Pull the fins outward and open the bag. Use markers to draw and color designs on this side.
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6
String it up. Fold a piece of tape over both sides of the string holes. Masking tape will not hide black marks. Use a nail or a pen point to poke a hole through the mark, which is an inch from the edge. Cut a piece of string 8 inches longer than the width of the bag and tie it onto both holes. Tie the end of the kite string spool to the middle of that line, and go fly a kite.
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Tips & Warnings
Paper shopping bags are hard to find. Most chain stores have switched to plastic because it’s lighter and less bulkier to ship and store. Some mall stores and privately owned shops still have them.
