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MORE PARACHUTE GAMES Before you can even begin to play parachute games, you need a parachute to play with! If you don't already have one, or know where you can borrow one, you will find the instructions for making one here. Washing Machine : Two girls of similar size and weight sit back to back in the middle of the parachute (with shoes off) linking arms. The rest of the girls hold on round the edges and start walking round in a circle. The parachute will eventually get smaller and smaller. At a command the girls holding the edges quickly move out and the two in the middle are spun round quickly. Chute Ball : This game is best played with an earthball (a large beach ball). You simply place the ball in the middle of the chute and by pulling upwards and outwards, throw the ball as high in the air as possible. This game can also be played by replacing the ball with a small child or doll. Competitive chute ball : Mark a line across the
diameter of the chute. Have equal teams hold the edge of the chute
on either side. Throw a ball into the middle. The aim is to get the
ball off the chute on the other team's side of the line, and stop
it coming off your own side of the line. (i.e. to throw it over the
other team's heads). You mustn't let go of the chute or touch the
ball with any part of the body. Keeping score is optional. Popcorn : Start with everybody holding the chute stretched out. Throw as many soft balls as you can find on to the chute. Then see how quickly you can bounce them off with out letting go of the chute. Alternatively you can have half of the children trying to bounce the balls off and half trying to keep them on. Bouncing balls : Start as above and this time have two or three children under the chute. The children under the chute have to try and push off the balls while every one else tries to keep them bouncing. Rollerball : Everyone holds the chute taut. Place a large ball near the edge. Try to make the ball roll around the edge of the chute. To do this, someone starts the ball rolling. As it comes towards you, you lower the edge you are holding, and as it goes past you raise your edge. When all the players do this in synchronisation, it creates a kind of wave going round the edge of the chute which pushes the ball in a smooth steady circle. It can not be done without concentration and co-operation, but it is very rewarding for a group to eventually achieve the correct motion. Once you have mastered the correct motion try changing the direction or speeding up. Air Conditioning : This game is good for recuperation after an energetic game. Hold the chute stretched out and have about a third of the people lie on the ground under it (best with heads near the middle). The rest mushroom the chute up and quickly pull it down again repeatedly. Air rushing in and out cools those underneath like a giant fan, and the sensation of watching the chute rise up and then come down on top of you is very strange. The Ocean : pretend the parachute is the ocean. I have them give me the name of an ocean. Children move the parachute in response to the 'weather report' they heard. (Encourages children to be creative). For example, I'll say, "I heard on the weather report this morning that there was a slight breeze over the Atlantic. What would that look like?" The children respond by making small waves in the parachute. Other suggestions have been - high winds, snow (we would have to pull it tight to make the ice), twisters, etc. Once they get the hang of it the possibilities are endless. Tortoise The chute becomes a giant tortoise shell with everyone underneath on hands and knees. The idea is to make the tortoise move about, but remain all in one piece. Once it starts to move well, the tortoise can tackle an obstacle course, appropriate to the ability of the participants. Hammock Get everyone to roll the chute up from the edge towards the centre. Stop when you've got a circle about six feet in diameter left. Let a volunteer lie on this and be swung backwards and forwards or side to side. Rolling the chute up like this is also a good way of getting everyone to help when it's time to put away. Chute Lift (A co-operative trust game): Several players lie on the chute, feet to the centre. Others lift up the edges, so their bodies rise up (but feet remain down). They can then be swayed gently. Take turns in the middle. Change Over : "Mushroom" the chute and call out a command, e.g. "Change over if you are wearing red". Everyone wearing red has to run under the chute to the opposite side, before the chute lands on them (although that is part of the fun). Musicless Chairs : Number the children by threes around the chute, so that you have an equal number of ones, twos and threes evenly spread out. Mushroom the chute, then call out a number and also a description of who you would like them to act as. For example, if you call out: "Mushroom... Number ones are ballerinas", all of the number ones have to cross under the chute, acting like ballerinas on the way. Snakes: plait some coloured bits
of wool / yarn and lay then on the parachute : flap the parachute
up and down - if a snake touches them they have been "bitten"
and are out. Parachute songs : Sit with legs
under the 'chute and holding the edge sing 'The ants are marching'....
moving the hands in time to the music. KNOW ANY MORE? PLEASE SEND THEM HERE
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