There are so many reasons why parachute play is a powerful tool in child development and relationship building.
Parachute games help children to communicate and enhance their collaboration skills, supporting relationship building and feelings of belonging. And, at the same time, they are developing their gross and fine motor skills and senses.
There are many opportunities for creative play with a parachute, ranging from being under the sea, to landing on the Moon. There is no limit to the fun for your children and most importantly ALL children can participate in parachute play.
Before You Start Parachute Play
Start your activities by familiarising your children with the parachute. Allow them to help you take it out of the bag or box. This helps to build a sense of excitement. Encourage your children to feel the textures and observe and identify all the different colours of the parachute. Take it outside and look at the colours in the daylight and how the sun shines through.
Encourage your children to help you spread the parachute out on the ground. Invite them to roll the parachute into the centre and back out again a few times.
Follow this by making ripples, like waves, by wriggling their wrists. Then progress to full waves by using your arms. Ripples to a tidal wave of colour!
Make a ‘Mountain’ with the parachute by inflating the parachute by lifting it high. Deflate by pulling the edges down to the ground and watch as the air spills out of the centre hole to flatten on the ground.
Physical Benefits To Parachute Play
Including parachute play in your setting will help your children develop their gross and fine motor skills in their hands, forearms, upper arms and shoulders. These muscles are important for their preparation for writing and being able to join other children in play activities.
They will also develop a consciousness of self and relationship-building with their peers and adults. They will develop their sight, sound, and touch senses, along with rhythmic body movement which, aids in communication development.
Inclusive Parachute Play:
Parachute play is inclusive for all as it helps children with diverse needs develop physical and teamwork skills.
Restricted mobility: With the assistance of an adult in moving the material, they can participate and enjoy the sensory aspects of the play. Encourage children with upper or lower body mobility to push the parachute away when it lands on them as part of the play.
Fine motor skills: Tie a knot or add something to the material that helps them grip the parachute. Then they can join in and develop their fine motor skills.
Sensory sensitivities: Gradually introduce the movements of the material. Regularly check in to ensure that they enjoy the activity and, when you can progress the movements of the parachute.
Parachute Play And Developing Fundamental Movement Skills
There are so many parachute games that encourage children to develop their fundamental movement skills through play, from crawling to skipping and throwing.
With a large Parachute, introduce activities with beanbags or softballs. This will encourage them to develop their throwing (over and underarm) and kicking skills.
Keeping Safe
While parachute play is an engaging and beneficial activity for children, safety must be paramount to prevent injuries and create a secure environment for all participants. This includes supervision on how to handle the parachute, spacing, and regular equipment checks.
Activity Ideas To Develop Gross And Gine Motor Skills:
Bouncing ball
Place a ball in the centre of the parachute. Encourage your children to lift and lower the parachute so the ball bounces up and down as high as possible.
Relaxation
Place mats on the floor, and the children take turns, one by one or in small groups, lying on the mat with their heads towards the centre. Those holding the parachute are encouraged to make ripples or waves fanning all those underneath as they relax.
Popcorn
The children hold the parachute outstretched as lots of softballs are placed in the centre. Then, see how quickly they can bounce all the balls of the parachute. It’s just like popping corn. Extra challenge: Half the children try to keep the balls on and the other half work to pop them off the parachute.
Race (older children)
Stretch the parachute out on the ground with everyone holding it tight. Place a large softball in front of you on the edge of the parachute. Then demonstrate how the ball rolls. Lift one edge of the parachute, and the ball will move away from you to the next person. They repeat what you did and so on. As the ball comes towards you, lower the edge closest to it and it starts all over again. This is a fun synchronisation activity that requires teamwork coordination, and lots of focus. Once this is mastered you can change the speed and direction of the ball.
Activity Ideas To Develop The Senses:
These sensory parachute activities were created by the fabulous Victoria Navin the founder of Rhyming Multisensory Stories
See
Dim the lights and place a light-up disco ball on the floor. Watch the lights reflect on the parachute material.
Hear
Roll musical shaker eggs/toy balls with bells around on the parachute.
Smell
Lightly spritz the parachute with scent or drops of essential oils.
Touch
Explore using materials and fabrics of different textures as your parachute.
A sensory story for ‘Autumn’
- The Autumn leaves are falling.
Place leaves on your parachute - Off the trees in the breeze
Waft the parachute to create a breeze - Making nests where the hedgehogs will sleep.
Slowly roll spikey balls over the parachute to re-create the breaths of a hedgehog. - In the sky overhead, feathered geese sweep.
Place feathers on the parachute - Scuttling in the bush is a little mouse.
Place pom poms on the parachute - Carrying a juicy blackberry to her winter house.
Roll blackberries on the parachute for children to taste
Now that you are inspired, what parachute games will you create with your children?
