ResourcesActivities

Pentecost Kites

Theme
Pentecost
Age Range
7-18
Type
Activities
Number of Participants
4+
Timescale
20-30 minutes

Quick overview

Pentecost Kites is a fun activity that involves first making, then decorating and finally flying kites and using the kites as a metaphor for the spirit at Pentecost.

Supplies you’ll need

Per group of 4-6:

  • Fabric (Enough to be cut into a 1m square)
  • Ball of string
  • 2x 1m Bamboo Sticks
  • Scissors
  • Stapler (Only one needed for all groups)
  • Paint
  • Paint brushes

Prep

  • To help with getting groups started, it is useful to have all the resources a group needs already in a pile together.
  • Master how to make a kite yourself to make sure you can easily help the young people. Here is the video you’ll need to find out what to do:

Leading Pentecost Kites

  • To begin this activity, spit your group into small teams of 4-6.
  • Walk the groups through how to make a kite. We suggest making yourself a kite in front of them as an example for them to follow. You may also like to give them the above video as additional help.
  • Next, invite your group to decorate their kite as best as possible. You can make this themed around Pentecost or the holy spirit if you like!
  • Once you have made the kites, head outside and see who can get their kite to fly the highest for longest. You won’t need too much wind but some will of course be necessary.
  • After having fun flying kites, head back inside and discuss or mind map how our experience of trying to control the kite’s movement and how the kites moved is similar of how the spirit can act.
  • An additional challenge you can have is to see who can decorate their kite the best.

God links

  • As we try to control the kites, we feel the strength of the wind moving and directing it. This is like how when we open ourselves to the spirit of God; it shapes and moves our life in a way we’re not fully in control of but result in much growth and spiritual fruit.
  • With our co-operation, the kite makes a beautiful soaring artwork and brings us loads of joy. This is a reflection of how our faith can soar, bringing us and those around us joy when we live in relation with the Spirit.
  • Often the hardest part of get the kite to fly is the first step, when we’re trying to get the kite up in the air. How is our own prayer life? Are we like kites soaring or are we struggling to take off? What can we do to be more in touch with the spirit like the kite with the air?
  • The wind is a fantastic analogy for the spirit and this can be broken into further if you so wish.
  • How easy was it to keep the kite in the air? Normally it takes us constantly maintaining control of the kite to make sure it does not either fall or get pulled away? Here we have another parallel as it shows how our relationship with God is always something we need to maintain and work upon.