I have discovered that some questions are asked over and over again. Hopefully this page will help you as you plan your kite making activities.

Do the kits come with everything needed to assemble them into kites?
The Kites…on a Roll® come with pre-cut sticks and string wrapped around plastic handles. String and pre-cut sticks are packaged inside the cardboard tube. You will need to provide scissors (adult), tape and whatever you want to use to decorate.

With each order we send you a sheet that has decoration ideas that have been given to us by other kite makers. You may also visit our tips page for ideas.

Fly Me Kite Kits do not come with string. The kits do not need sticks, but they do need scissors, tape, decorating tools and string (for the bridle and for flying).

How long does it take to assemble the kites?
The answer depends upon the pattern you select. We have listed suggested times for assembling the kites with each kite description. Decorating the kite adds more time to the project. Some kids need a lot of time because they can’t come up with an idea or they have a very detailed plan in mind. Some decorating needs time to dry, e.g. permanent markers, acrylic paints, glitter glue.

How soon can I receive the kits?
We usually ship out the same or next day via UPS ground. Shipping time depends upon your UPS zone in relation to Chagrin Falls OH. Click here to find out how long it will take. We can always ship a faster way, such as 3 Day, 2 Day or Next Day speeds, but those methods cost more money. Shipping time is also in business days. Weekends and holidays don’t count unless you request US postal service. Check our UPS zone page to find out how many business days it will take you from Zone 2.

Do the kites need a tail?
Kites that are flat need a tail to add stability to the flying. The Sled and Malay Bird kite kits come with tail patterns. If you do not have time to cut them out or the kite makers have difficulty cutting around the curved lines of the tails, you may want to create your own tails or purchase our tail material (We have 9 different patterns. View our Tail Material.) The Delta kit comes with fringe on the pattern. If you also want to add a tail, do so at the bottom of the center stick.

The Fly Me Kite Kits do not come with any tail pattern. While the kites don’t need tails for flying, they certainly look much more festive with tails bouncing off behind the sail in flight.

The kite that really needs a tail is the Malay Bird because it is flat. If the kite needs help flying in squirrelly winds, make the tail longer, add an additional tail, or tie little tails off the main tail.

Which side of the kite do we decorate?
The decorated side faces the flyer. The Sled and Malay Bird kits are coated with a writeable coating so that you can use crayons to color the kites. Those sides have the blue outlines imprinted on top of the coating. You may use permanent markers also. If you want to use the shiny, uncoated side, you may easily do so as the blue directional lines show through to the other side so you’ll know where to put tape and sticks.

The Delta needs to be assembled before you decorate it since one of the pattern pieces is flipped over to form a triangle. That kite has no writeable coating because of the flipping of a pattern piece.

Before you decorate the kite, make sure you have the top of the kite placed in the correct position. You do not want the design to be upside down in flight.

What are the kite materials?
The Kites…on a Roll® are made of plastic, the sticks are wood and the string is wrapped around a plastic handle. The Fly Me Kite kits are made of paper. All the kits are made in the USA, except for the string/handle and are assembled in a sheltered workshop in Oberlin OH.

Do I have to cut out the patterns?
Yes. The Kites…on a Roll® patterns are printed repeatedly on a long sheet of plastic that is wrapped around a cardboard tube. You need to separate the patterns before cutting each one out. The Fly Me Kite kits are a white paper bag that has taping and cutting lines printed on the back side.

I ordered tooooooo many kits. Can I return what I did not use or do not want?
You will need to contact us about this answer as each return is an individual issue. We usually accept returns as long as the product is in new, resale-able condition. We will not accept any paper products as a return, and we cannot refund your shipping charges. Merchandise needs to be returned within 30 days from receipt of merchandise for credit to be granted. Once we receive the merchandise, we will credit your credit card or send a refund check, depending upon your initial method of payment.

My credit card statement says a charge payment was made to What’s Up. What did I buy from you? You purchased some of our kite making products. What’s Up is the name of the company. Kites...on a Roll® or Fly Me Kite Kits is the name of the product.