Aim
To work on the cognitive concept of color awareness and matching while practicing different verbal directions with the parachute.
Equipment Required
- Four cones for boundaries (same color).
- Spot marker for every kid.
- Fluff Balls or Bean bag that match with the color of the parachute
Play Area Set-Up
- Spread the parachute completely and lay it on the ground
- Have children hold the handles of the parachute or rolled up edges
Activity Description
- This makes for a nice short activity that can be done at the beginning of the class. It does not have to be done the entire 30 minutes if you are in a PE setting.
- Have children sit on the floor with their feet under the parachute and two hands holding the edge.
- 4-6 children (depending on how many colors are on the parachute) are given a bean bag (or Fluff Balls) that they set on the floor next to them. There should be one bean bag for each color on the parachute.
- Demonstrate the activity once with a bean bag before handing them out to students.
- Call out a particular color of bean bag and the student that has that color bean bag throws it onto the parachute.
- See if the beanbag landed on the same color or a different color on the parachute than the color of the beanbag. If it is on the same color, “Pop” the beanbag up into the air to send it flying.
- If it is on a different color, we do small shakes and wiggles, then stop and see if it has landed on the same color and keep going until it does.
- Gather the beanbags that have been popped and give them to children who have not had a turn. It works best with only one beanbag on the parachute at a time.
