Parachute Adventure

Skill: Balance, Hop, Jump, Kick, Run
Time Required: 25
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the play area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Remind participants that only one participant is allowed on the parachute at one time.
Remind participants to roll under the rope and not step over it.
If doing this indoors, ensure the participants are careful when they're rolling and walking on the parachute (or take that part out all together).
Equipment: 1 Parachute
1 Rope
3 Pylons
4 (or so) hoops
Tennis balls
Objective:
For participants to go through the parachute adventure doing each adventure!
Other Skills:
Log Roll
Coordination
Speed
Set up:
Please see attached document for set up of Parachute Adventure.
There will be different adventures set up in this circular activity area.
Have a parachute with 4-6 participants holding the outside, and 2 participants holding a rope that goes over the centre of the parachute.
Set up a pylon about 15 feet from the parachute.
Set up 4 or more hoops on the other side of the pylon.
In front of the hoops set up a bunch of tennis balls in front of a net created by pylons (or a net if there is one).
Step by Step:
1. To make this into a competition, divide participants into two groups of 6-8. If not, just ensure that there are 6 or so participants holding the parachute and rope at all times.
2. The leader can choose the number of tennis balls in front of the net. Could make it a competition that the team's time will be stopped when all the tennis balls have gone through the net. Or see how many tennis balls they can get through the net in a set amount of time. Or don't make it a competition at all.
3. One team will be sitting on the ground and holding the sides of the parachute. Two participants from that team will be holding a rope around 2 feet off the ground, so it stretches across the middle of the parachute.
4. The Adventure team's route:
5. One at a time they will start by crawling/walking/running on the parachute, as the other team that is sitting on the ground and holding the parachute is creating waves with the parachute.
6. When the adventurer gets to the rope they will have to log roll (sideways roll) under the rope. When they roll past the rope, they can stand up and get off the parachute.
7. Next, they will run to the pylon and run around it to the hoops.
8. They will then jump/hop in each hoop. The distance of the hoops and set up of the hoops depends on the skill level of the participants. Have them further away from each other, have more hoops, create fast feet with the hoops, and so on.
9. The adventurer will then run to the tennis balls and kick one through the net. If they miss the net, they have to run and collect their ball, go back to the tennis balls and try again.
10. They will then run through the net and around to the parachute and start again.
11. When a participant gets off the parachute, then the next participant in line can go.
12. Continue for a set amount of time or until all the tennis balls are through the net.
13. The adventurers then become the parachute/rope holders and the previous parachute/rope holders become the adventurers.
Variations:
Create different adventures in this parachute adventure. Instead of kicking a tennis ball, they have to throw a beanbag into a hoop. Instead of the hoops, they participants have to do lunges or jumping jacks or do a crab walk and so on.
Have more than one rope going across the parachute.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.
Attachments: Download