Summer Edition
Everyone has that one thing they enjoy more than anything to pass the time. It might be knitting, clothespin art, or even painting. For those of you looking for new or more challenging hobbies, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve picked out ultimate, step-it-up activities to push your perseverance and boost your creativity.
Let’s Go Make a Kite
I’ve never had luck flying kites. If they went up, they came down a little too quickly. If they didn’t go up, I would drag them across the dusty gravel driveway praying for something more efficient than a gentle breeze. Once, I even made my own kite, but it didn’t turn out. Still, there was nothing more fun than that rare successful flight.According to nationalkitemonth.org, no one knows exactly when or where kites originated from. However, early evidence points to China. It’s said that General Han Hsin used a kite in 500 B.C., flying it over the walls of his enemy in order to use it for measuring the distance, his men would have to tunnel to reach the city on the other side, so they could surprise those within (and it worked, too). From there, traders brought this new invention to Korea, Asia, and India. It became such a popular pastime in Japan that government officials believed it distracted commoners from their occupations. And over the years, kites have been used both as war equipment and as children’s toys by other countries as well.While there are certainly other designs out there that require more impressive materials, you can put one of these plane-like creations together if you have some lightweight construction paper (the more colorful the better!); kite or other light-weight, braided line; scissors; and staples or tape to hold some of the edges in a folded position. You’ll want to take your sheet of paper of whichever size you choose and fold it into a paper plane (don’t crease it, only staple the points). And if you’re not familiar with folding paper planes, that’s okay! We’ve included a tutorial at the bottom that will walk you through the process.Attach your string midway on the underside. Create a frilly tail if desired, because, hey, it’s about the only decoration you’ll be able to see when it finally takes off.Do you think kite-making might be your next ultimate hobby? For visual instructions on how to put one together, check out this tutorial here.—Grace Desotell, Hobbies Editor