Parachute Games

Whether at school, camp, or everywhere in between, parachute games are always a hit. Even older children and adults dream of the whimsy created under the big colourful tent. There are many ways to play with a parachute, both indoors and out. Below, I have posted some links to game explanations.

Start at this site, which sells quality parachutes and accessories, but also offers an extensive list of simple games to play with your parachute.
http://www.playparachutes.com/pagaac.html

Barbara Shelby also offers a great list of games, variations, and songs to use while playing parachute in this blog post: http://www.kidactivities.net/category/games-parachute.aspx

Sheryl Cooper writes about parachute games and activities specifically for toddlers here: http://teaching2and3yearolds.com/parachute-games-for-toddlers/ She also notes how parachute play can benefit child development.

So, why not get out there with the kids and spend an afternoon in the sun playing under the parachute? When your arms get tired (and toned), it also makes for a great yoga or relaxation space.

Sardines

If you haven't played Sardines before, now is the time to round up the kids and get outside!

What you will need:
- a group of players (5-10 is a good number, and more than 10 can be quite fun!)
- a large outdoor space with a few good hiding spots (playground or forest)

How to play:
- designate one player as the "head sardine"
- while the rest of the players count to 100, with their eyes closed, the head sardine runs and hides somewhere in the designated play space
- once the count is complete, the rest of the players fan out individually to try to find the head sardine
- once players find the head sardine, they become sardines too and hide with the head sardine
- the last person to find the can of sardines is the head sardine for the next round

Unlike traditional hide-and-seek games, this one requires teamwork for all of the sardines to stay hidden from the others for as long as possible.

Human Scavenger

Looking for a game that encourages team work and thinking as a cohesive unit? Then, Human Scavenger is the game you have been waiting for!

What you will need:
- a group of players that can be split into several teams (works best if you have 4-5 players on each team)
- a space long enough for teams to run in a straight line

How to play:
- have an adult leader standing at one end of the run space
- have teams line up at the opposite end of the running space, side-by-side, in race formation
- on the adult's signal, the first player in each line runs to the adult leader to get directions for the first task
- once given directions, players run back to their teams to share with their teammates and search for the requested item amongst their players
- examples of tasks the leader may give out: find someone on your team with blue eyes; tie all of your shoes together as fast as you can and bring them to me; which group can make the longest line using only what they have on them? - BE CREATIVE!
- once they find the desired object on their team, the first team to bring it to the leader wins that round, or the team to complete the given task the fastest gains a point

If you are trying to build cooperative skills, you can throw in more of the tasks that the teams need to complete together. You could even mix in a creative component, such as asking which team can come up with the most original group song or dance based on a given topic or theme. Have fun with it! Ask any players who are adamant about not participating to help you generate tasks.



Kick the Bucket

Looking for a great game to play with young children and teens? Why not try Kick the Bucket? It's an active, running game that requires a bit of strategy and some stealth moves on the part of all players.

What you will need:
- a large space with a few decent hiding places (think playground or lightly wooded area)
- designated "out of bounds" lines (mark with pylons or create invisible lines)
- a fairly large group of players (10 minimum)
- a bucket (or other kickable object that will make a loud noise when kicked)

How to play:
- designate a "jail" area for players who are caught once the game begins
- set up an empty bucket face down near the jail
- designate one player (preferably a volunteer) to be "It"
- that player counts to 30 with their eyes closed, near the jail, while all other players run and hide within the designated play space
- once "It" has counted to 30, they should indicate that they are ready to begin finding
- "It" may then begin to walk or run around the play space looking for hiders
- if "It" sees a player, they may call out, "I see Suzie," or, "I see you wearing the purple shirt and red shorts"
- once the player has been spotted visually and called out, they must make their way to the jail
- players who have been caught may only be released from jail if another "free" player manages to sneak up and kick the bucket without being seen by "It"
- the game is over once "It" has successfully found all players or if they feel they do not want to be "It" anymore

This is a great game to promote physical activity, but also requires players to think strategically both when they are "It" and when they are hiding.