DIY Parachute Toy

Parachute Person.jpg

I was digging in an old box the other day and came across parachute man!  I made several of these toys one year teaching a summer program at a Waldorf school.  These little parachutes were great outdoor toys.

The children experimented with them and held parachute races.  They timed the parachute falls and worked to modify my design.  It was a great outdoor activity for a variety of ages.  I love toys we can make ourselves that appeal to different personality types and both genders!

parachute toy

The parachute was made from some extra light weight fabric we had lying around.  I hemmed the edges, but it’s not necessary.

Cut four lengths of ribbon.  Thread two pieces of ribbon through all three wooden beads.  The beads were used as weights. Tie off the ends of the two pieces of ribbon.  These create his legs.

Thread the last two pieces of ribbon through the top wooden bead.  Tie off the ribbon ends to form his neck and arms.  Knot the four strands of ribbon together above his head to secure the wooden beads together in one unit.

parachute man's body.jpg

Make sure the four pieces of ribbon are equal lengths before you tie them to each corner of your fabric parachute.

Have fun with your parachute man!

You can climb up high and let your parachute man glide gently to the ground or you can fold the man and parachute in half and throw him up into the air.  In the air, the weight of the beads will right the man and the parachute will open to catch his fall.

Your daycare children will enjoy trying out different throws to see what technique works the best to maximize his gentle decent.

The sky’s the limit with this toy!

Comments

  1. This is a fun activity! So glad I stumbled upon your blog. Would love it if you could share your ideas on our blog hop: http://teachingmama.org/tender-moments-blog-hop-23/ Have a great night!

  2. Featured you on Mom’s Library this week! Thanks for linking up!