Parachute games

Initial Instructions

  1. Spread parachute flat on the ground
  2. Everyone spread out around the outside of the parachute evenly
  3. Everyone grab one the parachute handle in front of him or her

Games

  1. Ripples
  2. Each person count off
  3. On the signal, all of the even people lift upon the parachute and at the same time all of the odd people pull down on the parachute. Lift up and pull down only a few inches to create a quick and rapid ripple across the parachute
  1. Umbrella
  2. Everyone kneels on the ground (can also try standing, squatting, and sitting positions)
  3. Everyone quickly lifts the parachute up over his/her head so that the parachute puffs up like an umbrella
  4. Processing questions
  5. Did you have trouble hanging on?
  6. What happens when you let go?
  7. What holds the chute up? What makes it come down?
  8. What if we don’t all go up with it together?
  1. Crossing Under the Umbrella
  2. Everyone count off out loud
  3. Identify a “leader” (can take turns being the leader)
  4. Everyone lifts up the parachute like an umbrella (see #2 above)
  5. When the parachute is up in the air, the leader calls out two numbers, those two people run under the “umbrella” and switch places with each other
  6. Alternatives: Can try different locomotor activities when crossing under the umbrella such as animal walks, hopping, dribbing a ball, etc; see how long you can jump rope, hoola hoop, etc under the umbrella; put bean bags under the umbrella and see how many can be gathered when crossing under the umbrella
  1. Popcorn
  2. Place 2 or 3 light balls on the parachute
  3. Lift and lower the parachute quickly to make the balls pop up in the air
  4. Identify one or two participants to chase the balls that fly off the parachute
  5. Alternatives: use one ball and divide the parachute into two teams and try to make the ball fly off opposite side; divide players into teams, each with their own colored ball, give a point to the team whose ball first goes down in the center parachute hole; try to roll a ball around the parachute in one direction without losing it in the hole