Summer Flight School

Here are three projects that will fill a summer day with highflying fun.

Grocery Sack Kite

This kite is easy to make, fun to fly and creates a great opportunity to talk to your kids about the benefits of recycling.

Materials

  • Paper Grocery Sack
  • Scissors
  • 12” x 1/8” dowel rod or bamboo skewer
  • Tape
  • Kite string
  1. Cut along three edges at the bottom of the sack and fold the bottom flap inside the sack.
  2. Find the center of the flap and punch a hole 1 ½ inches from the edge.
  3. Pass the kite string through the hole and tie it to the center of the dowel rod, then tape the dowel rod to the flap 1 ½ inches from the edge.
  4. Hope for a windy day and go flying!

Source: www.aka.kite.org

Paper Boomerangs

On days when the warm summer sun gets rained out, these paper boomerangs are safe to fly indoors, making them the perfect alternative to turning on the TV. (And yes, they really do fly back to you.)

Materials

  • Thick stock paper (like a manila folder or cereal box)
  • Scissors
  • 12 inch Ruler
  • Crayons or Markers
  1. Place the ruler on your paper and trace along the outside edges.
  2. Turn the ruler 90 degrees (perpendicular to your first outline) and trace it again to make a plus (+) sign.
  3. Cut out the plus (+) sign. (While cutting, you can round off the ends of the wings if you like.) This is a good time to decorate your boomerang with crayons or markers.
  4. One-at-a-time, rest each of the four wings against the edge of a table so that the edge runs parallel down the middle. Press down to gently fold each wing.
  5. Gently bend all four wings so that they curve upward from the center of the boomerang. Now it’s ready to fly!
  6. Hold the boomerang between your thumb and pointer finger with the top of it facing your ear.
  7. Throw it in front of you and watch it come back. After a few practice flights, see how many times you can throw and catch it in a row.

Source: www.grc.nasa.gov

Bird Feeder Tray

Flight truly is for the birds, so bring these feathered fellows to your backyard by filling this simple bird feeder with their favorite seeds.

Materials

  • 1 x 3 inch (actual measurement is 3/4 by 2 1/2 inches) pine board, 4 feet long
  • Drill with 5/64- and 1/4-inch bits
  • Hammer
  • 5d galvanized box nails
  • 10-inch square of aluminum screening (sold in most hardware stores)
  • Copper upholstery tacks
  • Pair of rawhide laces, each 36 inches long
  1. Cut the pine board into two 10 1/2-inch lengths and two 9-inch lengths.
  2. Stand the shorter pieces on end and set one of the longer pieces on top of them (like a table), so that the ends are flush.
  3. Use the 5/64-inch bit to predrill holes, then nail the pieces together.
  4. Flip over the assembly and nail the other long piece in place (again pre-drilling the holes) to form a square frame.
  5. Tack the screen to the bottom edges of the frame. Finally, use the 1/4-inch bit to drill a pair of holes in 2 opposite sides.
  6. Thread a lace through the holes in each side, knot the ends, and the feeder is ready to hang.

Source: www.familyfun.com