- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- iparenting fitness articles
- iparenting fitness q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Let's Go Fly a Kite
Old-fashioned Family Fun
By Teri Brown
Kite flying was a beloved pastime long before Ben Franklin made it famous, and for good reason – it is the ultimate in springtime family fun. Kite flying offers something for everyone; it's beautiful, entertaining and challenging. Plus, it's a great way to get outside after a winter indoors.
Mel Hickman, executive director of the American Kitefliers Association, says that kite flying is the great equalizer. "Black, white, young, old, rich or poor, the wind either blows or it doesn't!" he says. "Kite flying doesn't discriminate."
It's a known fact that you can't fly a kite on just any old day; it has to be a kite flying day! And just what makes the perfect kite flying day? A medium wind day with blue sky or fluffy white clouds. Never try to fly a kite if it looks stormy. Remember Ben Franklin? Exactly.
The perfect place for kite flying is in an open field away from power lines and trees. Make sure it's a fairly clear field without rocks or holes so you don't trip as you are looking upward. Beaches and parks are often wonderful places to fly kites, and beaches have the added bonus of being windy most of the time.
