Power Kite Forum

The right age to get started.

Bladerunner - 5-3-2018 at 03:15 PM

My Nephew just turned 3. I want to get him a kite when he is old enough to appreciate it. Right now I am not sure he even has the attention span to enjoy a single line.

At about what age are kids ready for a proper trainer foil kite? He lives right by the ocean but too far away for me to teach him. His Dad and Mom will help but are not kite people. They kiteboard on the island He lives on but no place right close to him so not sure he can get skilled help from locals?

What would people suggest as a 1st kite for him? I am thinking the Sensi for it's simple 2 line design that can be relaunched? Maybe a Tensor for it's 4 line potential?

Randy - 5-3-2018 at 03:25 PM

I've got a Sensie 3 and think its great. The 2 line launch actually does work, though it takes a bit of practice and it is not automatic. For most kids a 2 line is probably easier than starting out with a 4 line.

How old? Well I was at a park few weeks ago flying one of my 2 m NPW's on a 3 line bar. Small kid - I'd guess 3 came running up and insisted I let him fly it. I said no several times (I don't really like to interact with other people's kids all that much since you don't know how the parents would feel about it) but finally relented. To my surprise he actually made a go of it at least for a while. I'd guess with a little practice the kid could have actually flown it ok.

So to figure out if the kid old enough just take him out sometime when you are flying and see if he wants to try it himself.

Suds after thuds - 5-3-2018 at 03:39 PM

I'll confess to scudding with my 3yr old in my lap, his hands on the bar. I think at 8 my daughter is about ready to try something along the lines of a stunt kite; once she gets the hang of steering that, a 1m 2 line Matte. After solo flying, the next benchmark would be letting go of just one line if things got squirrelly. Then she would probably have to fly a 1.5-2m on handles (this would be a nice high wind kite, or maybe something out of the Born lineup). My girl likes to longboard...

And when summer happens, I think I might pick up a tiny tube for her to play with. Water being more forgiving-- before the tide goes out, anyway.

Windstruck - 5-3-2018 at 04:32 PM

Ken, cool that you are getting the next generation going!

I know I end up like a broken SS record but SS may be a good route because of their sturdiness when pile driven nose down.

Born Kite makes a nice 1.5m two string NS3 trainer:

http://www.venturi-power.de/index.php?cat=c25_Trainer-Star-T...

Another SS option is one of PL Uniq Plays:

http://www.peterlynn.com/products/single-skin-kites/uniq-pla...

Go for it!


nate76 - 5-3-2018 at 08:50 PM

My son is 5 years old / 40 lbs and I've been training him on a 1.8m Fluxx with pretty good success. These kites are in the $80 - $120 price range, and mine has been holding up to the abuse well. Just had him out yesterday and he was throwing it around pretty good - making some pretty impressive saves. And pretty spectacular crashes. So fun seeing him get the hang of it though.

For more info, you can go here: https://www.hqkitesusa.com/products.asp?cat=3

jimbocz - 6-3-2018 at 02:07 AM


I'd suggest a decent single line sled kite like this:

HQ Kites Sleddy Single Line Kite - Rainbow

My boy loved flying that when he was 3. I'd get a piece of rope and tie it around his waist and loop it through the hole in the winder so it can't get lost if he lets go. Kids love the fact that it goes up so high and they still can control it.

Perhaps you could also get him a fabric kite with suction cups designed to stick to the window as decoration.

His parents should be able to help him fly something like that even if they have no experience with kites.

I'd stay away from two line kites for a few years at least. A 5 year old may be able to fly a two line kite with a lot of help from dad, but 3 is pretty young. That said, I remember hanging out on the beach once and my wife mentioned that we should fly a kite. I was reading so I didn't pay much attention and neither of us noticed my son getting that single line kite out and launching it by himself even though he was only about 5.



BeamerBob - 6-3-2018 at 11:47 AM

My boys were flying 2 line kites independently by 7. I had a generic sport kite and then a few years later a symphony. For younger they need to get used to it tugging on them so a single line is best for that stage.

Randy - 6-3-2018 at 01:17 PM

Here's an option - can fly either single or dual line. Not really expensive either.

http://www.kitestop.com/product/hq-multi-kite-camouflage/

Bladerunner - 6-3-2018 at 03:04 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I had not thought about SS.
I will think about a sled for the time being.

I think by His 5th Birthday He should be ready for a proper trainer. I think I want him to get started on a bar. If he actually picks up the sport it will be on water.

krumly - 7-3-2018 at 02:23 PM

My son, now 18, started flying an Ozone Imp .7m 2 line foil with straps when he was about 6-7. He was flying an Ozone L'il Devil Stunt 1.5m 4 line on handles at Long Beach Peninsula when he was 7-8 and scudding behind a C-Quad 2.2 and 3,3 when he was 8. Was pretty good with a rev Supersonic when he was 8 as well. No interest in kites now :(

Man, time flies...

macboy - 21-3-2018 at 10:46 PM

Hey BR! So nice to "see" you still going strong and now nurturing the next generations.

I've been filling my kids stockings with kites each christmas and for special treats when heading to the lake etc. All single line still. We have some of the ladybug bobbers which they loved when they were 4 and 1 respectively. I keep trying but the interest just isn't there so we put them away and then try again another day/week/month/year. It'll come, I know it will. I took the next parallel step this winter and got both of them (now 9 and 5) skiing. It'll all converge when the time is right ; )

My thought is to get them on the sort two line deltas and then move to a two line foil - something akin to the old Samurais - small, fewer moving parts and pretty forgiving. I've enjoyed digging out the bag of single liners over the past few years but we haven't flown the ghost or the octopus in a while. I think we should do that before our snow turns everything to muck and then we don't want to take any kites out until it all dries.

Seems a U2U is in order one of these days. I'll find some time.

smiler8401 - 25-3-2018 at 09:44 AM

someone had start really early .



https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1685450651534153...

Bladerunner - 25-3-2018 at 12:32 PM

I knew the sail boat would take up your wind MacBoy. Something you can share with the whole family. It is great the kids are flying kites but sharing the boat with your Wife and Parents is time well spent.

mrdavis - 30-3-2018 at 08:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by nate76  
My son is 5 years old / 40 lbs and I've been training him on a 1.8m Fluxx with pretty good success. These kites are in the $80 - $120 price range, and mine has been holding up to the abuse well. Just had him out yesterday and he was throwing it around pretty good - making some pretty impressive saves. And pretty spectacular crashes. So fun seeing him get the hang of it though.

For more info, you can go here: https://www.hqkitesusa.com/products.asp?cat=3

me too!

adambweird - 31-3-2018 at 05:48 AM

Ive had my son flying my small symphony since right before he turned 5. He does ok with it. Not terribly big on keeping it in the air for long periods of time, he likes to dive bomb me with it, lol. The kites held up great to his abuse and gives just the right amount of pull for him.

Windstruck - 27-4-2018 at 05:16 PM

The right age to start kiting with your kids is exactly when they start asking about it! My daughter has been fixating on kites lately (who'd a thunk it?) so I got her a new drop dead gorgeous tie die rainbow single string parafoil. It came in the mail today and there was wind so out we went! This is really, really, special for me. My daughter is turning 20 next month and is severely autistic and will live with us long term. That we have yet one more thing to share together swells my heart. :D

Bonus scoring opportunity! What building are we flying in front of in the second photo (hint: world wide headquarters for this business)?


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jeffnyc - 27-4-2018 at 07:39 PM

Do you ever get to ride the skate ramp there? (I won't give out the answer, I've worked on videos for them, so no fair) :)

Soooo awesome for you + your daughter. I hope she sticks with it! And great field you have to play in!

Windstruck - 27-4-2018 at 08:19 PM

Quote: Originally posted by jeffnyc  
Do you ever get to ride the skate ramp there? (I won't give out the answer, I've worked on videos for them, so no fair) :)

Soooo awesome for you + your daughter. I hope she sticks with it! And great field you have to play in!


Thanks Jeff! I'd love to get her in a tandem or two man Landsailor. And, no, no ramp action for me, but you got it!

Cerebite - 30-4-2018 at 08:35 AM

Good to see her out flying with you.

We have that same kite in our single line quiver and love flying it on those rare single line days.

chescab - 11-5-2018 at 01:37 PM

Pablo had my little brother flying the 0.7m buster I on a bar all by himself when he was about 4. Some of my brother's earliest memories are having fun flying that kite. The bar definitely made it easier to fly as there is really only one way you can turn the bar and it is just like a bike which is easy for little kids and even adults to understand. The little kite never did anything to scare or hurt him and has survived many crash landings into puddles, dried grass, rocks, and thorn bushes, it's over decade old and still going strong for teaching little kids. There are probably a lot of forgiving smaller kites on bars or that can be converted to bars and will get off the ground in low wind without having too much power.