Every Kid Needs Things That Fly [Paperback]

Ritchie Kinmont (Author), Robert Casey (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Every Kid Needs

Ever notice those kids who love to stare at the sky? Maybe you have a pilot in training? Written especially for the child who dreams of soaring above the clouds, this book shows parents and kids how to create cool airborne projects together-including a Blinking UFO to a Hot-Air Balloon and a Water-Bottle Rocket.
Step-by-step instructions, illustrations, shopping and supply lists, and recommended tools accompany a variety of fun and stimulating activities. Each chapter has an introductory story and up to four activities for kids and adults, rated for skill level. From building a fleet of Popsicle stick airplanes to constructing a fantasy jet pack, Every Kid Needs Things That Fly gives parents and kids the tools and instructions they need to take off to where imagination is fuel and the sky is no longer the limit. It's a must-have addition to any workbench!
Ritchie Kinmont is a designer of industrial assembly machinery for an automotive company. His lifelong passion is tinkering in his workshop where his favorite projects are those he can do with his three young sons. Some of his inventions have been marketed through a major toy company. Ritchie earned his pilot's license while still a teenager and now shares his love of aviation and inventing with his sons. He lives in Utah.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Think your kid is an ace in the making? Feel you have a pilot in training? Written especially for the child who dreams of soaring above the clouds (or just likes to build cool stuff), Every Kid Needs Things That Fly teaches parents and kids how to get flying with hands-on projects like airplane control panels and high-flying balloons to water bottle rockets, real UFOs, and more. Each of the twenty projects has detailed step-by-step photographs and illustrations that will enable you to let your imagination-fueled fun. Begin by building your own workbench and end up shooting rockets to the moon (or at least really, really high!). From building a fleet of popsicle stick aircrafts to constructing a realistic jet pack, Every Kid Needs Things That Fly gives parents and kids the tools and instructions they need to go where no one has gone before!

From the Back Cover

The sky is no longer the limit! Parents and kids can make flying projects such as:
" A craft stick air force-from WWII bombers to military transport helicopters.
" Masking tape airports complete with runways
" Blinking UFOs that hover and land
" Parachutes for action figures, with launch platform
" Hot air balloons that use appliances around the house
" Realistic jetpacks with real moving parts
" Water bottle rockets that shoot more than 150 feet in the air

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith (April 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586855093
• ISBN-13: 978-1586855093
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,926,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WOW FUN_-especially for little boys!, June 9, 2007

By 

David F. Pocai "rpocai" (DFW area, Tx) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Every Kid Needs Things That Fly (Paperback)

Big FUN for young children. This book really encourages creativity, but its short on science info. Helium and hot air balloon projects can be done with a Balloon Time Party Helium Balloon Kit (purchased separately from a party store; the kit contains a canister of helium and mylar balloons you can take apart to build projects with). Projects in this book: helium and hot air baloons, a blinking UFO (helium balloon), pretend rocket packs, liquid fueled rockets, car seat control sticks, paratroopers, paratrooper drop platform, masking tape air port, toy airplanes, oh! and plans for a simple workbench.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for young airplane enthusiasts, November 9, 2008

By 

Jennifer Childs (Hillsboro, OR) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Every Kid Needs Things That Fly (Paperback)

I bought this for my four-year old son as he is crazy about airplanes and helicopters. I am so impressed by how thorough and detailed this book is. There is a wide variety of projects, from simple wooden airplane models made from popsicle sticks, to strap-on jetpacks for pretend play, to pressurized water rockets like they have at OMSI, our science museum.

The very first project is to construct a workbench that your child can then use while building the other projects. The directions were easy to follow. My son had a great time building this with his grandfather and is so proud to have a workbench like daddy's. The entire structure is made of PVC and seems very stable and sturdy.

Beyond the numerous construction projects, this book contains a lot of general information about flying. One of the projects is to create an airport runway using tape on a piece of carpet. There is information about what the various markings on the runway mean and how to use a compass so that you can correctly mark your own headings.

One of our favorite sections is a discussion of the calls to/from the control tower. We've started using our speaker phone to direct air traffic around the kitchen and dining room. And while my son isn't quite ready to memorize it, I have enjoyed finally learning the entire phonetic alphabet (alpha, bravo, charlie...).

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids DO need things that fly, August 31, 2008

By 

Paul Allen "sledhead" (St. George, UT USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Every Kid Needs Things That Fly (Paperback)

I ordered this book because I had five of my grandkids staying with us, and around week four, I was in need of more entertainment. This book was full of ideas that were actually do-able. We made the bottle rocket launcher and had a blast.