[blparent] Flying kites?

[Jo Elizabeth Pinto]

Thanks.  We bought a Princess Barbie kite today at Wal-Mart.  The only time 
I ever flew a kite was once with my mom, when it happened exactly as you 
described--the string wasn't attached to the roll, and zoom!  The kite took 
off on its own.  We'll give it a try; I just wasn't sure where to start. 
We'll have to wait for the wind to die down some, though--it's been blowing 
like a tornado for the last week.  If we try now, we'll be headed your way 
on the kite string like Mary Poppins.

Jo Elizabeth

Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may 
kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at 
evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
-----Original Message----- 
From: Robert Shelton
Sent: Sunday, April 14, 2013 10:42 PM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blparent] Flying kites?

It's really pretty easy.

1.  Find a nice clear area free of trees, powerlines, and other hazards.
2.  Pick a day with a good steady breeze.  It doesn't have to be blowing a 
gale, but a nice consistent breeze is the key.
3.  Walk up-wind as far as you can without running into abstructions.
4.  If you are going to get it started, hand the kite to Sarah, and let her 
walk a bit in front (downwind) of you, have her hold up the kite and let it 
go.  See what happens.  Alternatively, give her the string and you walk a 
few paces downwind, hold up the kite, and let it go.

All of this is subject to the vagaries of the wind, and may not work the 
first time.  If you let Sarah hold the string, be sure she is only going to 
let out just a bit at a time.  The key is to keep a constant tention on the 
line.  If you are holding the string, you can tell where the kite is by the 
angle of the string.  You can also get an idea of what is happening from the 
tention in the line.

Also, when you get to the end of the string, be aware that they do not 
always attach it to the roll.  It's sad when you have a nicely flying kite, 
and the end of the string just goes off the roll, and your kite is headed 
for the next county.

You'll do great -- have fun.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jo Elizabeth Pinto [mailto:jopinto at msn.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 14, 2013 2:27 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: [blparent] Flying kites?

Have any of you flown kites with your kids?  How did you learn the right way 
to do it, and how did you teach the skill?

My daughter met a little girl at the park yesterday who had a Barbie kite. 
She got to fly the thing, and now she’s fascinated.

Jo Elizabeth

Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may 
kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at 
evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.


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