When was the last time you flew a kite?  I can’t remember the last time I did, but I do remember flying them as a child.

Kite making and flying are certainly a lot of fun, but have you ever stopped to think about some of the other mental, emotional and physical advantages of kites?

Kaylee, a volunteer here at the ZOE Children’s Homes, recounted a wonderful story that I just had to share.

One recent night, as she was leaving to go home, she noticed a teenage boy flying a kite that he’d made.  She marveled at the design and care he’d taken to construct his kite, from collecting and cutting bamboo to sourcing the other materials needed from around the home.

Kaylee saw that many of the smaller children had gathered and were looking on fondly, asking if they could make one too.  Knowing that the kids had no school the next day, it was decided that kite making was definitely on the agenda!  The teenage boy, known around the home for his ability to fix mechanical things, agreed to help teach the younger children the finer points of ‘kite making.’

Have you ever watched a kite drift across the sky?  So relaxing and peaceful.

It’s easy to become enthralled in the present moment, temporarily forgetting yesterday’s problems and tomorrow’s cares.

Making a kite is no easy feat.  It takes a lot of problem solving, concentration and determination to get it just right.  As the older boy instructed and taught, the younger ones listened and learned, working together in pairs to reach their goal.  While some may consider kite making a simple task, the fabric, frame, tail and string must all be fashioned and arranged correctly to make it fly.  What I love about this story is how the ZOE children worked together.  Strengthening relationships and trust is so very important for these children.

In this day and age when many kids feel their life is incomplete if they don’t own an iPad, isn’t it so refreshing to hear and see first-hand children who take the initiative to make their own toys and experience the joy of playing in nature?  Without a doubt kite flying is conducive to outdoor play.  Running through the yard, breathing in the fresh air and gazing into blue skies, laughing as kites swoop and dive.  The children all loved the thrill of getting their kites up in the air followed by the challenge of keeping their kites aloft and out of the trees.  Kite flying requires eye-hand coordination, motor planning, body awareness and gross motor skills.  And just as importantly, creates many happy memories!

Kaylee reflected on what a wonderful joy it was to see the smiles on so many faces as the children were able to relax and experience “life,” which is, of course, the meaning of ZOE.