Tips For Parachute Play?

[Controlled Chaos]

I have a wonderful Gymboree parachute, but I am not sure how to use it best. How do you instruct the children with it? I don't want them just ripping it up and down while screaming like angry monkeys... though that's what they seem to do naturally .

I cut out hearts like someone suggested to let the dcks play with in it, but it didn't really work. I need some directions for this! Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[daycare]

youtube it.

I LOVE parachute play.....we use all kinds of different things.

we put everything and anything you can think of in there and sing songs while doing it.

our favorite right now is popcorn!!

I think I found it on youtube...

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

have you ever been to a gymboree class?
The parachute is controlled by the songs you sing So make up cute little songs to use. I do we are marching marching marching around the parachute. Marching marching marching in a circle. As we go around in a circle.
You get the idea.

[Unregistered]

When we use a parachute with small light items it takes a LOT of items. Fall leaves, a big heap, paper hearts or shamrocks etc,lots of them. They don't have to be perfect, use leftovers from other years and just keep adding to your stash. Kids like gathering them up and putting on the parachute too. Like any parachute activity teach the kids what will work best. Everyone hold your handle low, now go up slow, now go down low, now up FAST. Gather them up and go down low , now go up halfway and walk in a circle, now turn and go the opposite way, now go down low and up FAST.

[Shell]

A lot depends on the age of your kids. If you have a young group, you will need another adult or the help of your oldest child. Agree with marching to a song, putting a beach ball in the center and letting them shake it off. Also, with another adult, you can call the kids, one by one, to run underneath, or "sleep" and everyone places the parachute on top of them, and then quickly picks it up. My best experiences with a parachute have been with 4's and up- but that's the beauty of a mixed group- older ones helping the young ones.

[Controlled Chaos]

I have never been to a Gymboree class so I was sort of clueless

The sleeping child game and walking in a circle sounds doable. I think part of the problem is I have a smaller group and only a few old enough to listen/help BUT its so fun, I want to find a way to incorporate it into our play.

[daycare]

we just did tissue paper hearts and red balloons....

we just shake it to the speed of the music. We had soooooo much fun!

the kids were screaming with laughter. When we lift it up we keep it up and say hi to our friends with our other hand or Boo when it goes up and we can see each other.

We allowed some kids to crawl around under it, going through it like a tunnel as we sang this song.



MY VALENTINE
You start this song, inserting a child's name in the last line of the first verse. Then the whole class sings the next
verse until the last line. At that point, the child mentioned in the previous verse sings the last line, inserting the name
of a friend. Continue singing the second verse until each child has had a chance to choose a valentine.
(sung to the tune of "London Bridge")
Who will be my valentine,
valentine, valentine?
Who will be my valentine?
I choose [child's name].
Who will be your valentine,
valentine, valentine?
Who will be your valentine?
I choose [child's name].

whoever we chose was the child that we put the parachute down on.....

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF70ubSJXN8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCWAD-O5rZM

[TwinMama]

How young can kids be to do parachute play?