If you're using a long strip of cloth for the tail, use a piece of kite string to tie the cloth onto the bottom of your kite's skeleton. If you don't have a piece of cloth long enough for this, tie a piece of string about four feet long to the bottom of the kite, and fasten shorter pieces of cloth to it in intervals.

Now it's time for one very important step: fastening your roll of kite string to the reel! It's extremely easy to let your kite get all the way up to the end of the string, and the last bit of string can slip through your fingers before you know it - just read this issue's Editorial! So, before you fly your kite, unwind the entire roll, tie the end of the string tightly to the reel, then wind it up again. Now, as long as you hang on to the reel, and as long as the string doesn't break, your kite can't get away from you.

Finally, tie the end of your kite string to the keel, about even with the cross of the kite skeleton. You may need to tie a loop in the keel at the proper point, then tie the kite string in the loop, to eliminate slipping. You may want to secure your knot with glue or tape to lessen the possibility of the strings wearing one another out and breaking at this high-stress area.

Now, just wait for a clear day and head out into the breezes! Find a place where you can fly your kite away from trees and power lines, and, of course, out of the flight-paths of any nearby airports! Unreel some string and run into the wind with your kite trailing behind (see this issue's cover picture). When your kite is flying on it's own you can stop running, gently let out more string, and watch it climb into the skies!

Most homemade kites, if carefully made, will fly on the first try. However, in order to get the best performance from your kite, you may need to experiment a bit. Possible adjustments would be the arc in the cross-stick of the skeleton, the length of the keel, the point on the keel where the string is attached, and the length and weight of the tail. With some care and experimentation, you should have a kite that will fly high and well, with far less dives to the ground than many store-bought models.

And, if your kite does happen to get damaged, it's easy to repair. Just glue a patch of paper over the tear, and it's as good as new!

Happy kiting!

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Matthew Lewis is a homeschool graduate. In 2002, along with his family, he helped found Home School Enrichment, Inc. He currently manages the company website, http://HomeSchoolEnrichment.com.

This article was originally published in the Mar/Apr '05 issue of Home School Enrichment Magazine. For more information, visit http://HomeSchoolEnrichment.com