Chinese kites go back over two thousand years! They began there use in the military's of China and then became and intricate part of their arts and entertainment. Eventually Chinese kites became so popular they spread worldwide. Now they are used for art, competition and even sports like surfing.

My family and I enjoy the art of Chinese kite making. There's nothing more gratifying that seeing the kite you made in flight. Kite Crafts teach kids construction abilities, problem solving, patience and art all in one easy to do project. Kites are the foundation for many great inventions we see today, such as the Airplane, ever heard of it? Chinese kites are where it all started!

Here we are going to show you how to make a Chinese Kite out of a plain old ordinary brown shopping bag.

Step One
Draw the center cut line. You do this by measuring the width of the bag across the top and bottom then mark the center on both ends, use a something straight-edged to make your center line from top to bottom using the marks you made in the center of the bag.

Step Two
To mark the string holes make a 2" line vertically across the center cut line, approximately 2/5 from the top and bottom. Draw a dot at both ends. On a 16" bag this would be about 6" from the top and bottom of the bag.

Step Three
From the vertical line you drew in step two you need to mark a small dot a 1/2" above it. From that dot you will draw a line diagonally to each corner of the bag, top and bottom.

Step Four
Cut the bag open using scissors down the center cut line you drew in step one. Stop at the bottom seam. Cut the entire bottom off. Cut the fins out along the diagonal lines.

Step Five
Decorating your kite is so much fun and gives you a chance to show your artistic abilities. You can use traditional Chinese Symbols or Zodiac Animals or you can just draw whatever it is that interests you right on the kite. Be bold in whatever you make because remember, we are going to be flying this kite so we want people to be able to see it from the ground. Make sure you cover all the areas of the kite with decoration for better viewing.

Step Six
To string it up fold a piece of tape over both sides of the string holes. Use a paperclip or a pin point to poke a hole through the dots we made in step two. They should be about an inch from the edges of your kite. Cut a piece of string 8 inches longer than the width of the bag and tie it onto the holes. Tie the end of the kite string spool to the middle of those lines, and go fly your Chinese Kite.

Chinese kites are perfect crafts for spring and summer. They're perfect for one child or groups of children. Watch the delight in a child's face as they construct, decorate and fly their own masterpieces!