Trash to Treasure: Plastic Bag Kite and Parachute

Looking for a use for all those plastic shopping bags?  Well, you could either use them as garbage bags in a small garbage can or bring them back to the store for recycling.  OR you could do something much more fun -- make a plastic bag craft with your children!  Here's how:

Plastic Bag Kite:
1.  Gather the following materials:  ball of string approximately 50-75 feet in length, plastic shopping bag, scissors, and tape.

2.  Go outside and find two straight sticks about 1-2 feet in length.  Can substitute with dowel sticks, if preferred.

3.  Lay the sticks in a cross pattern and wrap string around their crossing point until secure and tie off with a knot.  This will be the frame of the kite.

4.  Open a plastic shopping bag by cutting down the side.  Spread bag out flat.

5.  Lay the frame on the bag and cut the sticks of the frame to size, if necessary.

6.  Use string or tape to attach the plastic bag to the ends/points of the frame, making sure the plastic is taut.

7.  Cut a piece of string slightly longer than the horizontal stick of the frame.  Tie this on each end of the horizontal stick.  There should be a bit of slack in this string once tied.

8.  Tie the remainder of the ball of string onto the the cross string from Step 7.  This is the string you will use to fly your kite.

9.  Cut strips of plastic from another bag and attach ribbons and a tail as desired to help the kite balance.

10.  Go outside and have fun flying your kite.

Note:  The plastic shopping bags are not very strong and will likely be torn by the wind after a short time.  To obtain a more durable kite, a plastic garbage bag can be used in place of the shopping bag.


Plastic Bag Parachute:
1.  Gather the following materials:  piece of string approximately 4 feet in length, plastic shopping bag, scissors, and tape.  You will also need a heavy weight such as a rock, plastic toy (army man), etc.

2.  Open a plastic shopping bag by cutting down the side.  Spread bag out flat.

3.  Cut a square out of the plastic bag.

4.  Use the scissors to make a small hole in each corner of the square.

5.  Tie a 1 foot section of string to each of the four corners of the square.

6.  Gather the four strings (already tied to the corners) and tie them in  a knot approximately 3 inches above the end of the string.

7.  Tie a small toy or rock to the parachute using the 3 inches of string below the knot.

8.  Throw the parachute up in the air or drop it from a high location and watch it fall.