LO saw a stunt kite on the beach last week and said she’s like to give it a go. I agreed but would not agree to buy the cheap crap at the beach cafe. I said if still felt the same when we got back home, I’d look into it.
Any tips on good brands, size, speed etc for an 8yr old? I found a site called ‘kiteworld’ but I don’t have a clue what I should be looking at. Is £30-35 an ok budget?
I have a small two line power kite although was a present I don’t think was too expensive. It’s a bit less twitchy than the stunt kites and I think it’s more fun.
This one but it looks like it has gone up in price (2022 inflation of course)
HQ Kites 1.3m Symphony Beach III Rainbow R2F Amazon.co.uk
Big power kites look like great fun but you really need a 4 line one, lots more money and a lot more skill than me.
We had a 2 line one, a while back. Well we still have it, but it snapped an end bit and we never repaired it. Think it was 10ft and could pull an adult off their feet in big wind. So clearly not for kids, but I recall it being a decent brand.
I’ll look in the shed later. They are good fun.
But when/if you get good, as @Jgav said the 4 line ones ate tricky to pick up but ace when you get it. We used to be able to ‘ski’ up and down a long beach on my mate’s one back in the day (I’m talking 10 yrs ago as well, so tech had probs come on in leaps and bounds since!).
She’ll be kitesurfing before you know it though @FatPom. How are you gonna cope with that?! She’ll have a very different type of beach request to you, and you’ll be in Exmouth all the time! 
I’ve got no issue with her kite surfing or getting a SUP. It’s good for young kids to live on their own and learn some independence. 
I had a bloody dream about bodyboarding last night FFS. 
I have a couple of them kicking about from years ago, I think including a smallish 2 line power kite, I would be happy to send it on to you If I can find it. LO might as well get some use from it.
Wow that’s very kind, thanks mate. I’ll PM you 
One of my mates grew up in Brazil and kite flying was a big deal there.
They used to have kite battles where they crush up a light bulb and glue the glass to the kite string. The idea was then to cut your opponents string to win the battle.
He says everyone made their own kites out of sticks and plastic but the kids from the favellas couldn’t afford a ball of string so he’d get robbed at knife point for his string.
Yeah those comps happen in Korea and also places like Iran. (I’ve read the book 'The Kite Runner, it’s pretty crap read though)
I read somewhere had banned this because of the occasional garrotting of the public. China maybe? I can’t recall.
