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brush

(53,792 posts) Sat Apr 13, 2024, 03:00 PM Apr 13

With March recently passed it just occured to me that you never see kids flying kites anymore. [View all]

When I was a kid when it got windy in March corner stores sold kites...the paper of the kite with fanciful images on them, rolled around the two sticks...that you'd have to assembly. It wasn't hard. You'd also have to buy a roll of kite string.

Once you got it home you'd also need raid your mom's rag bin to make a tail of a few strips of rags tied together for a tail 10 or so feet long that you tied to the bottom tip of the diamond-shape kite, then you were finished and ready to fly once you attached the roll of string to the front of the kite.

It was all technique then as to how to get the kite aloft in the wind. You'd need a good field to run in with the kite behind you, hoping to catch a good gust that would take it to flight as you quickly allowed your string roll to unwind (a stick in the hollow tube of the string roll let you hold it with two hands.

A few tugs on the line would held get it alot. and voila, it was flying.

When I didn't have the quarter to buy a kite there was always newspaper for a homemade one. Broadsheet newspaper, flour and water for glue, the sticks from the bottom of old venetian blinds, some string and rags and you were set.

It worked in a pinch.

72 replies

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With March recently passed it just occured to me that you never see kids flying kites anymore. [View all] brush Apr 13 OP

I remember those newspaper kites with rag tails. Diamond_Dog Apr 13 #1

I used to fly kites as a kid - some handmade w/newspaper, flexible plastic sticks, and tail parts of old sheeting Backseat Driver Apr 13 #22

Moms don't have rag bins anymore either. Irish_Dem Apr 13 #2

I still do! Diamond_Dog Apr 13 #27

God love you. Irish_Dem Apr 13 #35

I use rags when I clean the house. Diamond_Dog Apr 13 #38

That's a good idea. Irish_Dem Apr 13 #39

Doesn't everyone still have a "junk" drawer - pens, pencils, glue tubes, rubber bands, pins, paper clips, etc... Backseat Driver Apr 13 #59

Yes odds and end that you might need one day. Irish_Dem Apr 13 #61

Doesn't everyone still have a junk drawer? Backseat Driver Apr 13 #60

I do! MontanaMama Apr 13 #52

I flew a kite with my granddaughter once about 10 to 12 years ago. That was the last time for me. sinkingfeeling Apr 13 #3

We see kites in the park across the street at least a few times a year. CrispyQ Apr 13 #4

I actually saw a kid flying a kite a few weeks ago believe it or not. Elessar Zappa Apr 13 #5

These days the kids fly kites on a video app... lol calguy Apr 13 #6

Agree. I didn't see any kids flying kits. And there are kids here and an open field. debm55 Apr 13 #7

Don't forget the tail Beachnutt Apr 13 #8

Scarcity of capital taught us something bucolic_frolic Apr 13 #9

We used to make kites out of balsa wood and Saran Wrap. Irish_Dem Apr 13 #10

I loved flying kites as a kid 😀 Faux pas Apr 13 #11

You're welcome. I loved those kite flying days too. brush Apr 13 #28

Kids are flying drones now. sop Apr 13 #12

This is so true it hurts AuntyGravity Apr 13 #13

I was Charlie Brown when it came to flying kites. Mr. Evil Apr 13 #14

Loved kites with tails. Bird kites at the beach were great too. twodogsbarking Apr 13 #15

I flew a lot of kites but never one of these heady Box kites Brother Buzz Apr 13 #16

Did anyone make hot air balloons with laundry bags, plastic straws and birthday cake candles? trusty elf Apr 13 #17

That's good TE, a new one on me. How did you guys dream that up? brush Apr 13 #31

Used to fly Gayla Baby Bats and Sky Spys when I was a tad. Grokenstein Apr 13 #18

Kids rarely go outside to play at all. jimfields33 Apr 13 #19

I took kids kite flying and they wete bored. Cant compete with Grand Theft Auto Demovictory9 Apr 13 #40

That's true. A whole different mindset. jimfields33 Apr 13 #56

There aren't many open areas in my town questionseverything Apr 13 #20

Serious kite flying in SF Old Crank Apr 13 #21

You never see kids doing a lot of things any more Warpy Apr 13 #23

I used to love COL Mustard Apr 13 #24

We took our boys kite flying when they were younger Diamond_Dog Apr 13 #33

Brilliant!!! COL Mustard Apr 13 #66

He's a very clever guy. Diamond_Dog Apr 13 #67

Loved them. We'd have contests to see how high you could go. marked50 Apr 13 #25

Husband and I used to love flying kites in big open spaces. calimary Apr 13 #26

I only see kite flying at the beach. nt Dulcinea Apr 13 #29

I have a couple times recently on the athletic field of my old high school. It was cool to see the kids having brewens Apr 13 #30

Last time I flew a kite was in college (nearly 50 years ago) SharonClark Apr 13 #32

And "Go fly a kite!" used to mean something else. sop Apr 13 #34

And there was this song... BumRushDaShow Apr 13 #36

Thank you!!! niyad Apr 13 #44

Loved that song! BumRushDaShow Apr 13 #45

Now I have this lovely earworm! niyad Apr 13 #53

When I was at Kent State as an Art major Diamond_Dog Apr 13 #37

I always see them at the beach JenniferJuniper Apr 13 #41

I see kites at the beach. But yeah, not in my neighborhood. onecaliberal Apr 13 #42

Remember box kites? Sneederbunk Apr 13 #43

Oh yeah. SergeStorms Apr 13 #54

We flew a kite with my grandson last year mgardener Apr 13 #46

Try Cape Cod in the summer DFW Apr 13 #47

@brush - thanks for the post and bringing back memories. Those were the days. n/t iluvtennis Apr 13 #48

You're welcome. Those were the days. brush Apr 13 #65

Homemade kites Maninacan Apr 13 #49

Kites are banned in Egypt for security reasons for about 3 years now Tetrachloride Apr 13 #50

I bought one at Costco this year. SergeStorms Apr 13 #51

7 feet? That's huge. Was it hard to get it aloft? brush Apr 13 #64

Despite it's size... SergeStorms Apr 14 #71

A nostalgic money making scheme if ever I saw one SleeplessinSoCal Apr 13 #55

Years ago, there was a lovely kite shop in Sacramento. The kites were niyad Apr 13 #57

Yes, happy flying. Thanks for the info. brush Apr 13 #63

You are most welcome. niyad Apr 13 #68

We went out every spring to fly kites when I was a kid. Solly Mack Apr 13 #58

I loved flying kites wendyb-NC Apr 13 #62

I actually saw drmeow Apr 13 #69

I was thinking about that just the other day, when my wife suggested I go fly a kite. Harker Apr 14 #70

One of my happiest memories is of my dad taking me out to a field by the local high school to fly a kite when I was... LudwigPastorius Apr 14 #72