Parachute Games Are Lots Of Fun

Parachutes can be lots of fun for all ages. Below find some tried and tested games that I have played with my kiddies at school but especially with my unit when I was a Guide Leader. The girls loved getting the parachute out.

All you need is a parachute and some small balls.

Game ideas:

Shake - students spread out evenly around the parachute and hold the edge. Shake the ‘dust’ out of the parachute.

Mushroom – students spread out evenly around the parachute and hold the edge. Students crouch down and on go, everyone stands and pulls upwards, which causes the parachute to fill up with air and sit like a giant mushroom. Everyone takes one step forward and sit down, pulling the chute behind them to sit on the edge. Everyone should be sitting now inside the mushroom.

Change – students are spread out evenly around the parachute and hold the edge. Call out ‘change over if you are wearing blue’. Students lift the parachute up and those wearing blue run under the parachute crossing to the other side before the parachute is pulled down again. Call out several different statements such as – Change if you are born in January, February or March. Change if you rode your bike to school today. Change if you have a lunch order today…

Volleyball – students are spread out evenly around the parachute and hold the edge. A ball is placed on the parachute. Divide the parachute into two teams. Teams must try to cause the ball to fall off the other side of the parachute by flapping and waving it about.

Numbered – students are spread out evenly around the parachute and hold the edge. Number the students 1-4 and continue around until everyone is numbered. Students crouch low then on ‘go’ raise it high above their heads. Call a number e.g. 2 and all the students numbered 2 runs under and across the parachute to the other side before being trapped. Continue until every number has had several turns. This game can be played with the teacher calling two students names and those students must run under and swap positions. First to their new position wins.

Rollerball – students are spread out evenly around the parachute and hold the edge. Place a ball on top and students move gently their side up and down, opposite to the other side. The aim is to keep the ball spinning around on the parachute. Don’t let it fall off.

Popcorn – students are spread out evenly around the parachute and hold the edge. Place several small balls on the parachute and students’ flap and wave the parachute about to pop the balls up in the air like popcorn.

Shark Hunter – students are spread out evenly around the parachute and hold the edge. Five students are chosen to go lie under the parachute as sharks. One person is chosen to walk on top of the parachute as the hunter. Students flap the parachute to create waves so the hunter can not visibly see the people’s bodies. The hunter carefully walks around and attempts to locate the sharks. Once found the sharks come out from under the parachute and join the circle. The last person to be found is the next hunter.

Air Conditioning – half the students are spread out evenly around the parachute and hold the edge. The other half lies flat on the ground under the parachute. Students pull the parachute up quickly and pull it down repeatedly. Air rushes in and cools the student’s underneath.

Do you often get the parachute out to use with your class? What is their favourite game to play? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.