1. Look for high quality bamboo.

 Unlike other kites, Chinese kites are traditionally

made from strips of bamboo. You can find bamboo at specialty art supply shops
and online. The bamboo is then cut into thin strips with a knife and used as the
frame for the kite.
2. Select thin silk or thin, long fiber paper. Chinese kites are usually fashioned
from thin silk or thin, long fiber paper. You can find thin silk at your local fabric
store and look for thin, long fiber paper at your local craft store. Long fiber paper
contains long, natural fibers, such as hemp, and is known for being strong and
light. Kites made with thin silk are considered more high quality than kites made
with paper. Some kite makers use newspaper or construction paper for their kites. The
traditional Chinese kite is usually made of thin silk or high quality paper, but you can use
newspaper if you do not have access to silk or specialty paper.
3. Gather the other supplies for the kite. To round out your supplies list for the
kite, you should ensure you have:

 8.5 x 11" (21 x 29.7 cm) plain paper

 Masking tape and/or glue
 Scissors
 Twine
 Spool of thread and a needle
 Measuring tape
 Paint and/or markers to decorate the kite

4. Choose the design for the kite. Chinese kite designs vary from simple fighting
kites that are small and quick to the more complex dragon, goldfish, and swallow-
shaped kites. You may want to choose a simpler design for your first Chinese
kite and then progress to more difficult designs as you become more proficient at
shaping. (Refer to the picture of kite given to your group)

5. Make the body of the kite. Once you have selected a kite design, you should
make the body of the kite.

6. Cover the kite with a piece of paper. Once you have completed the kite body,
you should cover it with another piece of paper, newspaper, or thin silk so it is
durable and strong. If you are using thin silk, you should work carefully and
slowly as you do not want to tear the silk.
 Place the kite along the fold of the newspaper or the middle of the piece of paper. Trace
the kite on the paper and cut it out. Then, attach the cover to the kite with tape, taping
along the sides of the kite.
7. Decorate the kite. It is easier to decorate the kite when it is flat and does not yet
have a frame. Get creative and use paints, markers, or colored pencils to draw
designs on the kite. If you are using an animal shape, like a butterfly or a bird,
draw in details found in nature, such as butterfly wing designs or bird feathers.
Use bright, vibrant colors so the kite looks pretty when it is flying in the wind.[6]
 If you are using a diamond or circle shape for the kite body, you can still draw
representations of animals on the kite. Cut out images of your favorite animal and
paste them on the kite or draw images that are colorful and interesting on the kite.

8. Frame the kite with the bamboo. Make a frame with bamboo to ensure the kite
stays airborne once it is in the sky. You will need to cut the bamboo so they fit
the shape of the kite.
 Cut the bamboo so they are long enough to cross over the center of the kite. One piece
will go lengthwise and one piece will go width wise, forming a “T” shape on the kite.
 Lay the dowels or the bamboo so they form a “T” shape. Use twine to secure the two
pieces together in the middle of the kite. You can also use glue or masking tape to
secure the pieces extra well as you do not want the middle of the dowels to come off the
kite.
 Secure the bamboo or the dowels to the kite. Use masking tape to secure the bamboo to
the kite. Place the tape five inches (12.7 cm) below the edge of the kite on each dowel or
piece of bamboo.

9. Use twine to finish the frame. Wrap the twine around the tip of one bamboo
and then run it around the ends of the other dowel so the twine outlines the
shape of the kite. Keep the twine taut as you wrap it around the bamboo.
  Twist the twine around one end of the bamboo and knot it around the end of the towel.
Then, secure the twine with a piece of tape. Wrap the tape so it is folded securely over
the twine.
 Finish the frame by folding the edge of the paper over the framing twine. Then, unfold it
and spread glue over the edges of the bamboo. Press the edges over the string and let
them air dry. This will ensure the twine frame stays attached to the kite body.
10. Attach the bridle string. The bridle string is the string that you will use to help fly
the kite. Usually it is about three times as long as your kite. The bridle string
attaches to the kite at both ends of the frame and then the kite line attaches to
the bridle. You can use measuring tape to measure the bridle string so it is at
least three times as long as your kite.
 Cut the string once you have measured it and tie one end of the string to the dowel
located at the bottom of the kite. Once the string is knotted to the dowel, you can
thread it through the paper on the decorated side. This will ensure the decorated image
is showing when you fly the kite.
 Thread the other end of the string through the paper at the top of the kite. Knot it to the
top of the dowel. The bridle string should now be hanging from the front or decorated
side of the kite.
 Place your finger 17” (43.1 cm) down the length of the string from the top of the kite.
This is the tow point or the point where the kite reel will be attached to the string.
Make a loop in the string at the 17” point.
11. Put the tail on the kite. Finish the kite by adding a tail. The tail can be made of a
paper streamer and should be at least one and a half times the length of the
spine of the kite. Usually a tail that is longer will ensure the kite flies straight. The
tail also provides drag for the kite so it can fly at a higher distance and in a
straight line.[8]

 You can make a tail that is one long string or several strings tied together. Attach the tail
to the bottom end of the kite with tape, making sure it is centered on the kite.
12. Fly the kite in an open outdoor area. Kites fly best outside in an open area like a
field. Choose a day with winds that are not too light or too strong, usually
between 5 to 25 mph (8 to 40 km/h).

 Never fly the kite near power lines or other tall obstructions as it can get tangled and
become damaged.