PARACHUTE ACTIVITIES
TERMS AND CONCEPTS THAT CAN BE INTRODUCED WITH A PARACHUTE:
A) DIRECTIONALITY - Forward, Backward, sideways, up, down, clockwise, counter-clockwise, left and right hand, high, low.
B) LOCOMOTOR SKILLS - Skipping, walking, hopping, running, jumping, galloping, leaping.
C) QUALITY OF MOVEMENT - Fast, slow, accelerating, decelerating, light, heavy.
GRIPS:
1) OVERHAND - Palms are facing down
2) UNDERHAND - Palms are facing the up
3) CROSSOVER GRIP - Right hand over left hand - with both palms down
1) MUSHROOM
Lift the parachtue above your head and make it rise higher by taking 3 or 4 steps toward the centre.
The parachute will resemble a mushroom.
2) STRETCH
Using the overhand grip, have the students lean back pulling the parachute taut.
3) RUNNING
Hopping, skipping, grapevine and other various steps either to the right or left (good for directionality: rhythms may be incorporated by adding music). Simple circle folk dances may also be learned and added.
4) POPCORN
The students 'flutter' or make waves with parachute with several light balls in the centre of the chute creating a 'popcorn' effect.
Follow-up activities:
a) Use one ball and divide the parachute into 2 teams-- try to make the ball fly off opposite side.
b) 4 or 5 balls of different colours; count off by numbers & give a point to the team whose ball first rolls down the hole.
5) MAKING WAVES
With younger students tell them the parachute is a pond and that a light breeze is rippling the water. Them ask them to make larger and larger waves as the storm intensifies.
6) IGLOO
Using the overhand grip. Billow the chute, then quickly get down on hands and knees, pulling the parachute down across the back of the neck. Result: all heads will be inside while the rest of the body remains outside.
CROSS-OVER GRIP: Throw the chute up, turn, and seal chute to floor while it is still billowed. Result: all bodies will be inside the igloo.
7) TEAM KEEP-UP
2 Teams, one on each side. Make waves to keep a ball up.
Object: Bounce the ball off the chute to go over the heads of the opposing teams.
8) COUNT OFF
Number students alternately 1's and 2's. Make a balloon then call out "one" or "two" - All students with the number called let go and run around the whole chute, back to place, and under the chute.
9) UMBRELLA EXCHANGE
Spread out the chute and have students situated around the parachute. Number the students from 1 to 3. On a signal, the group inflates the chute and the teacher calls out a number. Children of the number called, run under the chute and switch places with a person of the same number. The group's job is to keep the chute up until everyone has made it safely to the other side.
10) BALL ROLL AROUND THE EDGE
Children hold the chute at waist level. A ball is placed on top. The objective is to roll the ball around the edge, first in one direction then the other. This activity involves the entire class. Children can also try to roll a ball through the hole in the center of the chute.
11) THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
a) The students can hold the chute in one hand and travel:
- forward, backward, clockwise, counter-clockwise, walk, run, hop, leap, jump, gallop, skip etc..
- slowly, quickly or at a medium pace
b) They can also:
- hold the chute with 2 hands, move to the right and the left, using a slide or cross-over steps
12) OCEAN WAVES
Students hold the chute about waist high and shake it up and down. The students shake it vigorousy until they begin to tire, then have them observe the effect on the waves as the tempo is decreased.
13) BODY PART IDENTIFICATION
-Holding the chute at chin level, then chest level, waist, waist, knees, ankles, and then - raise hands overhead as quickly as possible. The chute will billow up and rise high over the heads of the children. The same movement can be repeated using the forehead, nose, neck, thigh and shins.
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Parachute graphic on homepage courtesy of: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/dave_tylcoat/paragame.htm
LINKS:
YoWoChas Outdoor Ed. Centre
Parachute Games
Organized Parachute Games
Chute Games
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