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