American Kitefliers Association

I won't be a lurker, but a sharer. 
My personal experience shows low results,  My own son got interested when he was 13 or 14, mastered the REV basics (but not the passion) then moved on to other interests, like music.  (Now works as a DJ with gigs local and interstate... his PASSION!)  Neither of our 2 daughters showed any interest at all at any age.  Their parents' passion just embarrased them.

The school workshops I ran as my "Kite Lady" business often produced animated talk for days after a visit.  Some classes drew pictures of their kites and sent them to me in book form.  I've had little or no contact since, but our country's culture is not one where kite flying is a prominent activity.  There are no bricks & mortar kite stores left in South Australia, and the kite buzz of the mid to late 1980's has moved on.

My 2 grandsons have gone to the Washington State International Kite Festival at Long Beach, Washington every year since they were born.
They have experienced almost every aspect of the kiting world.  Flying anything they can get their hands on, played with more beach toys than I can name and volunteered to help with childrens events.  The youngest, (16 yrs.), has led the, "Parade of Colors" event for the last 3 years.  They both, at there ages now, still do not have the passion for kiting that has driven Marla and myself through 20 years of kiting. 
They respect it, have good memories and may someday get back into it.
The oldest, (18 years), has found his passion in, yes Linda, music. 
Marla and I still keep on intoducing kite flying to any young person that will listen.

Ron
Marla's secretary

I found my passion from my mom. She helped me with everything. She has always helped me with flying. I have never backed out, it has been up hill since then. So many kite flyers have given me help. I wouldn't be the way I am with kites if they hadn't have helped me. Thank you everybody.
Thanks
Ian Willoughby

We started flying kites when our daughter when to college.  We introduced her to kites when she would come home on breaks.  She picked up dual line flying with ease.  The kiting became a family activity.  Now she has moved away, is married and is working.  There is little time for flying.  However, we introduce her husband to kite flying and have gifted them both with dual line kites.  They both are interested in flying but do not have a passion for it.  We hope it will become a family activity for them that they can enjoy when they vacation.  For now, our daughter is using her single line kites to decorate the nursery for their first child.  As grandparents, we will be taking our grandson to fly whenever we can. 

The biggest value we see is that kite flying is an activity we all can enjoy together.  And anything that can bring a family together, even if it is just for an hour, is a plus.

kjm

I just happen to love kites,alway have and always will it all started as a young child flying homemade kites with long tails made from ripped up old bed sheets. All the kids in my neighborhood  made them  and we flew them in the church parking lot it was a sign of spring with the strong March winds blowing . I remember the string cost five cents at the corner store and a quater could get your kite into the heavens. My daughter on the other hand hates kites and has coined the phrase kite creeps when referring to the fine friends we hang out with. For as long as the AKA has had National Kite Month I have been sponsoring a forth grade workshop in my town. That's about 8 or 9 years now so most of the kids in my town know the Woodman as the Kiteguy.

Knowing how the youth these days seem to prefer electronic gizmos, this may help draw some of them closer?

Just observed on the AKA Event Calendar - this link http://www.aka.kite.org/events/calendar - but now click on the icon of the USA... and suddenly we're into world geography.  Countries are listed, events are pinpointed, world kiting now looks more exciting!! 

If you've not recently checked out the Calendar link, you can now find out where all the fun kite events are and hopefully get the younger set mixing their smart phone technology with the passion of world travel & kite flying...?

It is so true about music. I also would encourage kids to try flying a kite. I found the main obstacle was cost. Many families have very tight budgets and a some-what good kite cost around 15 - 17 dollars. I decided to order one of those "party" kite packs of diamond kites (50). I took a boom box, I know... dating myself, but it plays CDs and radio. I set it up at a local field last year and the kids were drawn in by the music and I gave each one of them a kite. They all had to assemble the kites with assistance from me and their parents. There were 28 of them. Everyone had a great time. It lasted almost 4 hours. I get to the field every weekend when I can and bring the music. There are about 15 that have become regulars and some of them  convinced their parents to purchase different kites. The parents also fly. The moms appreciated the free time while dads acted more like kids than their children.

It is a new season and I hope they will return this year. Taking the boom box when I go flying just in case.

sncflyer