How the hell do you fly a kite??

[SoupDragon]

On a Mumsnetter recommendation, I bought a couple of the cheap "pop up" kites from Tescos. DS2 (3) is currently waiting patiently in front of the TV for me to attach the string. I did this about half an hour ago and I've just been running round our back garden (it's a big garden!)like a loony trying to work out how to fly the damn thing.

I'm now knackered and DS2 will begin to suspect something in a minute. How do I fly it?? My parents were always hopeless at kite flying so I never learnt the trick of it. Any tips??

What is a pop-up kite? Is it a different shape from a normal one? For one of those you need some wind and ideally to be bit high - stand with your back to the wind, chuck the thing in the air and as the wind takes it feed out the string.

If the pop-up isn't the same then I haven't a clue, sorry, soupy (Does it say it'll fly anywhere?)

Let ds2 run about with it - even if it doesn't fly he'll get really tired and it will save your legs!
Our normal ELC kite just needs to be launched in a gust of wind (I don't do running!), but not sure if the pop-up one is the same

Thanks!

It's kind of triangle shaped so normal. Nylony stuff with a springy frame round the edge so you can fold it up small into a bag for storage.

Looks like I'll have to go out in public with it ths afternoon and look like an idiot!

SoupDragon - I got one of those cheap kites from Tescos too, and we couldn't get it up last time we tried. I think it might need pretyt strong winds. We have several kites, and they each have certain wind conditions when they fly particularly well. I find it easiest to have a big open space (field or beach) and a selection of kites.

Soupy,
Your garden probably doesn't have enough uninterrupted space or uninterrupted wind. You need at least a big flat field, beach or hilltop to fly any sort of kite.

Getting the kite high enough to stay up is tricky too. If it only gets to 10 ft or soo it will keep coming down. As it gets up to that level keep pulling gently un the string to get height. only feed out string when the kite is rising, pull back gently when it stalls or starts to fall.

Good Luck!

P.S clifftops in cornwall are my favourite place to fly a kite

No way am I letting DS2 run round cliff tops with a kite - LOL! He's an accident waiting to happen on completely flat ground with no visible dangers

I have to confess that I didn't really think it would fly in the garden. I was simply hoping not to make an ar$e of myself in public before I'd had a go. It's very windy out there!

I have a smaller bird shaped kite somewhere which I have flown successfully before. I'll have to take that with me as well when we go out.

No no soupy !!!

The clifftops where I go are a good 1/4 mile wide, so we're WELL away from the edge.

Ah... but you've never met my DS2 That child could find danger anywhere!

Mind you, since we live in S london, cliffs aren't generally a problem

Any last minute tips??

Just enjoy it, it doesn't matter. Laugh a lot.

Let us know how you get on.

"Wear gloves" that would have been a good tip!

It's too gusty I think - it was virtually impossible to get it up very high and keep it there because the wind would blow it down again. Had no success at all with the Tescos kite (in fact the string snapped twice) and DS2 managed to get the bird one up, mainly through brute force and determination rather than any sort of skill!

Still, he ran about in the fresh air. I'm knackered no mind you - shame there wasn't a coffee shop up on the Down! (Up on the Down??! YKWIM!) I hope DS1 doesn't get any bright ideas about flying kites after school.

And a hair scrunchie - that's a pretty good tip too. I look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards!