Plastic Bag Parachute Toss and Catch

Students make a parachute from a plastic bag, four strings, and a clothespin skydiver, toss it high, and complete a challenge before catching it. It builds tracking objects in the air, catching, and hand-eye coordination.

How to play

1. Build it (6 min): cut a 16-inch square from the bag, knot each corner, tie a 12-inch string to each knot, and clip the four loose ends together with a clothespin.
2. Basic toss (3 min): fold the parachute around the clothespin, throw it straight up, and catch it with two hands before it lands.
3. Challenges (4 min): the teacher calls a challenge to do between toss and catch: clap twice, touch the ground, spin, or sit down and stand up.
4. Hoop landing (3 min): toss from outside a hoop so the skydiver lands inside; each landing is a point.
5. Partners (4 min): one tosses and the other catches; then both toss at once and switch places to catch each other's parachute.

Rules

• Before tossing, nobody within 6 feet.
• Catch without pushing anyone to get there first.
• Bags never go on anyone's head.
• Safety: look up and around at the same time.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: tosses and catches seated; the partner tosses close by.
• Visual impairment: bright bag, lower tosses, and a partner who calls "coming down."
• Fitness level: picks the challenge from the list and how high to toss.

Learning goals

• Track a slowly falling object to catch it.
• Perform quick movements between toss and catch.
• Build a movement toy from reused materials.

Equipment for a class of 25

• plastic grocery bags: 30
• string: 1
• clothespins: 30
• hoops: 13

Teacher tip

Parachutes tangle, so teach students to fold them the same way every time. On windy days, have students stand with their backs to the wind.

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