Parachute Help Please

[Guest]

Hi more help needed this time fairly urgent

 

I have managed to get my hands on a parachute 3.5m and would like to use it at a picnic tomorrow for childminders and children who all will be under 5

probably something like 7 adults and about 10 3/4 year olds

 

any ideas for what we can do?

I can take some small balls (ball pit type)

 

other wise I am stuck

 

any body out there please h e l p

[Guest]

We have one at nursery and our children love it, we put balls or balloons in it and waft it till floats off. We play fish, fish shark, we get children to swop with their opposite, waft quick or slow, up and down... just go with the flow and see what the children like. Have fun!!

[Steve]

Hi Kazz -

 

 

The basic parachute activity is to raise and lower it, which I'm sure you must know. Make sure the adults are evenly placed around the outside, and when they raise and lower the parachute they should do it as slowly as possible. Getting the rhythm going nice and steadily is important. As you raise it, call out something like Up, Up Up. Then Down, down, down, to lower it.

 

So, here's an activity: you'll need to explain this fairly carefully to the children. It's not complicated but new stuff like this can be worrying to some children, so pick a couple of confident ones to start with. As you start to raise it call out the names of two who are on nearly opposite sides. The two called children run underneath the parachute to where the other one was and then grab hold of the parachute again. Demonstrate this a couple of times with parents if you like.

 

You can vary this by getting the two called out names to run to the middle and touch each others shoulders then back out to the same position.

 

If you have a nursery teddy bear, you can give it the bumps by putting it in the middle and getting more vigorous with the lifting. Then go really slowly, sending the teddy bear to sleep.

 

Have a good day!

[Guest]

thanx for the prompt replies

 

we do have a network traveling bear not sure if she will be with us tomorrow

 

as you say - I will just go with the flow and see what happens

 

Kazz

[mundia]

My kids love the parachute too. Steve,we do your game of chnageing places, but before that, when the children are new to it, its enough to get them just to wave to the person on the other side, when the parachute is lifted. We also walk around with it, so that the children dont all get bunched up, that's quite a challenge. We put bean bags under and choose children to go and get them when the rest of us lift carefully. We also try to keep a ball on the parachute for as long as possible, by getting them to lift and drop it according to there the ball is- this takes a lot of practice, but its amazing how they really want to work together to do it. Anyway, enjoy, and do let us know how you get on.

[Steve]

Hi Mundia -

How's things? Haven't heard from you in ages. Too busy messing about with parachutes?

 

Good to have you back anyway. That's a good tip about waving under the chute - it can be quite intimidating for the children to run under for the first time.

 

Regards, Steve.

[Guest]

Hi KazzE

We use the ball pool balls with music. One of the best ones is the Blue Danube which varies in speed. Our children love this one because they have to keep just one or two balls going during the slow parts and then towards the end we have about 20 to 30 balls going at once. They are uaually hysterical by the end because the balls are flyng everywhere. We even use this outside with a portable tape recorder.

Another idea is to have a small parcel and they have to "post" it to a chosen person. This is a real skill game as they have to manoeuvre the parachute carefully to make the parcel, usually a small box, arrive at a certain point.

Towards the end let the children lie down and the adults let the parachute waft up and down over them-this is a good wind down activity.

Hope you get these for tomorrow. Have a great time.

Linda