about the game
Parachute games are so much fun, these below will keep the group going for more than 8 minutes, so choose a couple to play during one session and save some for another session. The Children will more than likely want to play one game more than once!
Equipment needed: Parachute, balls, bean bags
1, 2, 3, 4:
o Arrange the group around the parachute
o All holding onto the parachute with their thumbs tucked underneath the parachute
o Not holding the handles
o Let the group know what each number represents
o Then call out the numbers at random
1= Sitting on the floor
2= Stand up
3= Raise above your heads
4= Lift the parachute into the air/put the parachute behind your head/ tuck under your bottom and sit on it creating a big tent
Get 1 child to stand in the middle like a tent pole, keeping it up
Storms Coming:
o As above game but numbers indicate increasing storm
1= Quiet and calm - parachute still
2= Getting a little cloudy - little waves
3= Suns gone behind a big rain cloud, winds blowing - getting bigger
4= It’s started to rain, thunder and lightning - shake the parachute really hard
Fruit Salad:
o Name each child apple/orange or banana
o All standing with parachute still
o The leader counts to 3
o Then raise the parachute above your heads
o Once above heads shout a fruit
o They then have to change places with another child of the same fruit name
o If fruit salad is shouted all children have to go underneath and swap places
Cat & Mouse:
o 1 child goes on the top of the parachute (Cat)
o 1 child underneath (Mouse)
o all the other children then have to shake the parachute to help disguise the mouse
o the mouse has to crawl around under the parachute trying to hide from the cat whilst the cat crawls around on hands and knees trying to find the mouse
o Once caught swap the children over
Sharks & Lifeguards:
o All children sit around the parachute with their legs tucked underneath
o 1 or 2 lifeguards are placed around the room
o And either 1 or 2 sharks go underneath the parachute
o The sharks then have to try and pull a child under the parachute
o But as soon as a child feels a ‘shark’ touching their feet they should shout for a lifeguard to come and save them
o If a lifeguard gets to the child before the shark has pulled them completely under the parachute they have been saved
Popcorn:
o Place lots of bits and bobs (soft balls beanbags soft toys) on to the top of the parachute then after 3 get the Children to shake the parachute as hard as they can to get all the bits off
