Parachute Colours

Skill: Hop, Jump, Run, Skip
Time Required: 10
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Remind participants to keep their head up when they are running underneath the parachute.
Remove any safety hazard around the activity space.
Equipment: Parachute
Energy and smiles!
Objective:
Participants will each hold one colour section of the parachute. When their colour is called, they have to do the set activity under the parachute and then run to another section that has their colour.
Set up:
Have a big parachute set out and each participant holds one section.
Step by Step:
1. Have each participant hold one section (colour) of the parachute.
2. There will be multiple participants holding the same colour around the parachute.
3. Start with a parachute warm up (if you wish), and have participants jog in one direction, while holding the parachute and make ripples (small and quick waves) with the parachute. Then have them run on the other direction and make ripples with the parachute.
4. Time for the game!
5. Participants stand at their section and as a group, participants bring the parachute down and then lift it in the air.
6. Have participants continue this motion so that the parachute goes high in the air.
7. When the parachute is up, the leader will call a colour and an activity they have to do under the parachute.
8. When the participants complete the activity, they have to run to the outside of the parachute to a different section from where they were before (but same colour). They have to get there before the parachute falls on them.
9. The leader could also call two colours at one time, and the participants can then go to a different colour.
10. Example of activities:
- 2 jumping jacks
- Skip/Hop to another section
- Crawl to another section
- Tiptoe to another section
- Give a high five to two participants
- 1 push up
- 1 sit up
- Count to 10
- 2 squats
Variations:
Call names instead of colours. Or have participants number off and the leader will call specific numbers, or all odd numbers and so on.
If the parachute hits a participant, then they are out for the round.
Have participants switch places with other participants (don't do an activity) for a warm up and to get participants used to running under the parachute.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.