Top 5 Parachute Activities For Your PE Class (Part I)
Ahh, the Parachute. A beloved tool in PE classes everywhere, not to mention a surprisingly strong source of nostalgia for many who are long removed from the carefree fun of primary school gym class.
One of the reasons parachutes are so popular is because of the variety of activities that they can be used for. They can be used for cooperative activities that foster teamwork, or more competitive activities that create an exciting and intense atmosphere to the lesson. We could go on and on for pages with different parachute-centric activities, but since this blog is meant to be a quick read, we decided to settle on a top five list of our favorites for now with every intention of creating another list at some point in the future.
Without further ado, here is our "Top 5" Parachute Activities List in no particular order:
1) Popcorn Machine
A perfect warm up activity to get all of the kids involved and having fun. Super simple too, just put a bunch of balls or beanbags on top of the parachute, and have your students shake them up and down like they are kernels of popcorn popping all over the place.
2) Change Up/Parachute Tag
Have your students "mushroom" the parachute and call out two students' names. The named students must release the parachute and run under the 'chute to trade spots before the it lands on them.
3) Roller Ball
A great teamwork activity that tests your students' coordination. Have the class hold the 'chute and try to roll a ball around the outside edge. Students will need to work together, lowering their end of the parachute as the ball approaches and then raising it once it passes by.
4) Ball In The Bucket
Split the class into two or more teams. Each team will have a different colored ball, and the object of the game is to keep their ball from falling through the center hole of the parachute. In turn, each team will try to get the other teams' balls into the hole. The last team with a ball remaining on the parachute wins.
5) All Change
A variation on "Change Up," in this game, students will "mushroom" the parachute and the teacher will call out a general category that applies to multiple students (e.g. Birthday month, shirt color, etc.). Each student that matches the command/description that the teacher yells must run under the parachute and find an open spot before the 'chute lands on them.
We hope you enjoyed this week's blog post. Please feel free to leave comments and head over to our parachute page to shop today!
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