Parachute Game Ideas for Children and Young People

Parachute Games (whether with a small or jumbo parachute) are a fantastic and fun activity for any Birthday Party or event with children from ages 3-9yrs.

Here is a description of some of the many games you can play if you have a parachute: Cats & Mice: Two Cats (children) lie on top of the parachute, two mice (also children) lie underneath the parachute and everyone else gently ripples the parachute about a foot from the floor thus making it difficult for the Cats to see the Mice.

The Cats must try to catch the Mice, but have to remain on all fours, once the Mouse is caught it comes out.

Once all Mice are caught, the game starts again with different Cats and Mice. N.

B.
shoes off.
Chute Ball: Kids hold the parachute out and a ball is thrown in the middle. Circle is divided in 2 halves for 2 teams.
One team has to raise the ball off the parachute and over the other teams heads.

Colours: When the parachute is up in the air, the leader shouts a colour and everyone wearing that colour, runs across to the other side before the mushroom sinks down.
When using a varied coloured parachute, the colour can be that held by some of the players.

Alternative: give kids each one of 4 fruit names. Shout "banana" and all these kids swap.

"Fruit Salad" and all kids swap or else superheroes etc.

Sharks: Everyone sits with legs out in front around the parachute rippling it gently, over the legs pretending it's a sea.

One player goes underneath the parachute pretending to be a shark and moves menacingly around for a while then suddenly (but gently) grabs someone's legs and pulls them under the sea.
There are life guards who must try and grab victims' arms and stop sharks dragging them under.

Tent: Players make a mushroom, but this time they bring the parachute down behind their backs and sit inside it, creating an instant tent. Players can then sing a chorus before they come out of the tent.
Chef: Children standing in a circle holding an edge of parachute.

Loads of soft balls (of any size) are thrown into the middle of the parachute.
3 or 4 children are chosen as chefs and then children start flapping the parachute.

The chefs have to keep the balls in the parachute while the other children are trying to toss them out.
I hope you find the above games useful.

If you do not currently own a parachute, you can purchase a Jumbo Parachute (see Author Bio below).
If you would like further games suggestions, please let me know!