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NB* Illustrations in the manual are in black and white
Statues
The following activity can encourage children not only to move and stop, but to move, in a different direction after each STOP.
Children grip the parachute firmly and hold it taunt in a circle. They walk around in a circle in the same direction and STOP on a signal from the practitioner. (Initially the signal to move and stop could be verbal or in response to a percussion instrument.) Make this into a fun activity and when children STOP, they stop very still, like statues (strong muscles). “Can I see anyone moving?” etc. Once children are comfortable with the move and stop, let them try it to music.
ACCOMPANIMENT: “Musical Statues” - Track 5 (click to listen)
When children first move to musical statues, they should move – STOP – move again in the same direction. When they are confident in their movements, they can progress to move – STOP – then move again in the opposite direction.
(The STOP could be unexpected e.g. Play a “pop” CD and stop it at different intervals.)
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 “Making a Statue”
Choose three or four children to go under the parachute when the rest of the group make a high mushroom. The group guides the parachute down over the children in the middle who then move about to form a “statue”. They try to form a statue which has high and low parts and interesting shapes. They hold their shape still when it is complete and children around the chute try to guess which point of the shape is which child! Children pick up the parachute and unveil the statue and reveal the children’s shapes.
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Pitter Patter Raindrops (A)
Children grasp the parachute firmly and whilst they are repeating
“PITTER PATTER RAINDROPS, LISTEN TO THE RAIN” (x2)
they ripple the ‘chute vigorously (like rain hitting water).
Children then mushroom the ‘chute twice whilst repeating
“ RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY, COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY” (x2).
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Pitter Patter Raindrops (B)
It is possible to use the same action song but change the activity completely:
Put a number of small sponge balls on top of the parachute and hold it taut.
“PITTER PATTER RAINDROPS, LISTEN TO THE RAIN” (x2)
(Children ripple the ‘chute gently to keep balls on)
“RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY, COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY”.(x2)
(Children ripple and shake the ‘chute vigorously to try and shake the balls off)
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Boots and Shoes
Children need time before this activity to look at each others’ shoes – probably done most easily by standing in a circle around the parachute with the chute lying on the ground.
The practitioner chooses a child to sit under the chute in the centre, then it is allowed to loosely fall over him / her.
Whilst the child is hidden, everyone changes places, then lifts up the chute to just below waist height so legs and shoes are all that can be seen.
The practitioner taps one child on the shoulder and they begin marching on the spot. The child beneath the chute tries to guess the name of the child.
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The Dog and His Dinner
Place two balls of unequal size on the top of the parachute. One ball is the dog and the other ball the dinner!
One team of children tries to help the dog take bites of his dinner and the other team tries to keep the dinner away from the dog!
(Teams could be decided by dividing the parachute in half to create the teams or alternate children around the chute are in different teams.)
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Beach Ball
Children stand in a circle holding the parachute at waist level and then place a large beach ball on top of the silk in the centre of the parachute. The adult chooses one or more players to go underneath the parachute. The players who are underneath the parachute try to knock the ball off whilst everyone else has to maintain their grip on the parachute edge and try to keep the ball on.
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Tidy Your Bedroom!
Half the group of children hold the parachute and the other half are spread around the outside of it.
A number of soft balls are placed on the parachute and children holding the parachute try to shake them off (they are being “untidy”).
The group of children round the edge rush to pick up any balls and throw them back onto the parachute (they are “tidying up”).
(Let each game take approximately 30-40 seconds before stopping to count how many balls are still in the chute. Allow everyone the chance to “tidy up”.)
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Children are asked if there are any more names which could be said
to one clap (e.g. John etc).
ach child has a number of spots or markers which they arrange
in a line of "stepping stones".
Children move about the play area with big steps. (Large
steps tend to be performed with most of the soles of the feet on
the floor)
The practitioners mixes up two
different colours of paint and puts them into two different paint trays or shallow dishes and then cuts an apple
in half down the length of the core.
Children should watch the adult blowing bubbles with soapy
mixture or blow their own bubbles. They are encouraged to
describe what is going on. Words can be introduced such
as "growing, getting bigger, floating, flying, popping."
