You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own beautiful Japanese Carp Kite using these simple directions. Boys and girls in Japan fly fish kites in celebration of many special days. You can research kite flying and see all the different kinds of kites are made and flown on these special occasions.

Trivia:

Ancient stories of fire breathing Dragons were probably a windsock type of kite flown by soldiers in the middle ages which had burning tar in the mouth opening to frighten the enemy in battle. Source: Kite – And some fun facts about kites.

Supplies

• Large Decorative Paper or Wrapping Paper
• 4″ Wooden Hoop
• Bamboo Stick
• Paint
• Brushes
• Clothespins
• Tacky Glue
• #20 Hemp
• Scissors
• Pencil

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of paper 13½” x 18″. We used wrapping paper but you can also use plain paper and decorate it. Don’t forget to make big fish eyes.
2. Wrap one short end around a wooden hoop gluing in place. Use clothespins to hold it in place until dry. The paper should overlap about 1/2″. Glue down the overlap. You will have a paper tube with the wooden hoop keeping one end open.
3. Press the bottom half of the paper tube flat.
4. Cut a fish shape by cutting along the bottom and half way up one fold. Leave the other folded side alone. Glue along the open side. Leave the bottom open.
5. Poke four holes under the wooden ring with a pencil.
6. Cut two 2′ pieces of hemp. Tie them together around one end of a bamboo stick. You may want to glue the string to the stick to keep it from sliding. Feed each of the ends through a hole in the fish. Tie off.