Kites were invented over 2,000 years ago by the Chinese and used, amongst other things, to carry soldiers into the air to spy on enemy camps!

Since then kites have been used in religious ceremonies, as musical wind instruments, to carry ropes across dangerous rivers and (more recently) for scientific research and weather observations. Today, kite flying is a popular sport in China and Japan, with annual festivals and kite battles held every spring!

Why not make your own kite? You could use different materials, shapes and decorations on your kite, or you could try making a large kite with a group of friends and see how many people it takes to fly it.

There are two different kites for you to make as part of this activity - a miniature indoor kite and a diamond kite. Both involve different materials and equipment and one is more complicated than the other, so select the one most appropriate for you.