Making things together can be an enjoyable activity to do on a date. Now, don’t freak out; I know getting crafty can seem like a lame thing to do, especially to guys. But hear me out. Something simple to make is a kite. Kites are nostalgic, easy to use, and combine both indoors and outdoors. Kite flying is especially nice at the beach, but if you’re like most people and don’t live near one, a park will do just fine.
So this cheap date idea involves making a kite together and then going somewhere and flying it. You could make it a group date activity and have a competition and see which kite can soar the highest. Have a picnic afterward as well, or use glow in the dark paint or attach glow sticks to the kite and then fly it at nighttime.
If you’re like some people I know and absolutely refuse to do something crafty, then go ahead and do it the lazy way; Walmart or Target should sell kites for less than ten dollars. You can also order one like this online. Okay, you’re not lazy, you’re just a “non-crafter.” Forgive me.
How to make a homemade kite
You will need a few things for this date and one obviously is the kite. Kites are simple to make. All you need are some plastic bags (black garbage bags work well), tape (scotch or duct), string or twine, and balsa wood or wooden dowels (which will make up the kite’s frame). The balsa wood can be bought for really cheap at a hobby store. You could also use long wooden dowel rods which can be found at craft or hardware stores.
The frame should be made first. The simplest and most classic kite frame style is the T or cross frame. The size is up to you. Smaller kites do not fly that well, so 3’ long by 2’ wide seems to be ideal, although I’ve seen some as big as 8’ long and 6’ wide. Assemble the kite, and don’t forget the tail at the end; a streamer or ribbon should do the trick for that. Slightly windy days work best for this date, so you’ll have to do it at the right time. Pick a nice park to drive to or head to the beach if you happen to live near one. Usually, you will find some nice breezes at either location.
(See diagram and instructions below)
Step 1: The Dowels
Take the two wooden dowel rods and put them together like a cross. Attach them in the middle with some duct tape or another kind of tape. Or you can just tie them together really firmly with some twine or rope. This will make up the bones of your kite.
Step 2: The outer kite edges
Now cut some lengths of twine or thin rope and connect them to each point. You will wind up with 4 lengths of string. Two for the top and two for the bottom. These are going to be the kite edges. Either tie them or use tape to connect them.
Step 3: Kite skin
Next, we need to take a large plastic trash bag and lay it over the bones of the kite. Cut it out so there is about 2 inches extra all around it. Then fold those plastic bag edges over the edges of the kite and tape them down.
Step 4: Kite string
Next cut 4 more lengths of twine and tie them to each corner of the kite then bring them all together and tie them together. Your mainline will attach there at that point. Now you have your very own homemade kite to fly. Of course, you can always buy one as well if you don’t want to make one.
My commentary on this kite flying date:
I have made several kites in my younger years. On one particular date I had with my friend, she put her crafting skills to work and we wound up making one that was so big it took both of us just to fly it. We even had to use rope instead of string just to hold up our behemoth. It was pretty clever on my part, insisting it be bigger— a good excuse to be super close to her. There were soft touches, flirty glances; it was totally worth the crafty effort. A big gust of wind would grab hold of the kite and tug the both of us. The fleeting thought of being swept up into the air holding on to the kite string for dear life came to my mind. Of course that couldn’t happen, but still fun to think about.
Since then, I’ve visited many beaches and parks where couples looking to be on a date were flying a kite, watching it soar through the air with smiles, laughing and having a good time. Kite flying does seem like it was something more popular decades ago, but it doesn’t have to be—it’s time to start a revolution, my friends. Grab a date, make or buy a kite, then go fly it. You could even break out and sing that famous song from the movie, Mary Poppins: “Let’s go fly a kite, up to the highest height, up in the atmosphere, up where the air is clear, oh let’s go fly a kite!”
Check out the video I made for this date idea
Creative dating at its finest. Now go out there and do it.
Do you have experience with this creative date idea? Let me know in the comments how it went and if your date, spouse, significant other liked it. You can buy a copy of the book 101 Creative Dates: ideas, tips, and personal experiences from the life of a hopeless romantic here or visit the shop.
Here are other date and gift ideas you might like: