Kite is an object that is flown in the air at the end of a line. The name comes from a graceful, soaring bird called a kite. Some kites consist of material such as paper or cloth mounted on a frame made of sticks, to which a line or lines are attached. However, many kite builders use synthetic coverings, such as plastics or nylon, that are lighter and more durable than paper or cloth. They also use fiberglass or aluminum instead of wood for the frame. The lines may be nylon, polyester, or other synthetics, or cotton. Kites can be made in hundreds of sizes, shapes, and colors.
Most kites today are made and flown for recreational purposes. For example, in Hamamatsu, Japan, people fly brightly painted kites taller than adult human beings in a festival over 400 years old. Kites have also been used for scientific research and for military purposes. Kites carrying measuring devices into the sky helped develop the science of weather forecasting in the 1800's. During World War II (1939-1945), life rafts carried box kites that were equipped with radio antennas in order to send out S O S signals.
