• Organize fun parachute games for your campers or students.parachute image by sylvie BRELOT-FORMENTO from Fotolia.com
  
  If you are a camp counselor, teacher or parent, parachute games are a fun activity for your children. They require little preparation or equipment, besides the chute itself, and can be used as a warm-up, a time-filler or as part of an hour-long recreation session. There are cooperative parachute activities as well as competitive ones, but generally most parachute games help children develop team-building skills.
  
  

All Change

• Children spread themselves around the perimeter of a parachute and hold on to its edge. On the count of three, the children simultaneously lift the parachute up and hold it above their heads with straight arms. You, as the leader, call out a birthday month, a color of one of the parachute segments, an age, a hobby or any other topic you can think of. At that moment, all children let go of the parachute and allow it to fall down slowly to the floor. If a child has the attribute you called out, she runs to another section of the chute, attempting to make it before the parachute completely touches the floor.
  
  

Cat And Mouse

• Another game is called "Cat and Mouse." Pick two volunteers, one to be the mouse and the other to be the cat. The mouse goes under the parachute and the cat goes on top. The rest of the children surround the parachute, sit on the floor and hang on to the edge of the chute. The games starts when the children move the parachute up and down, causing a wave-like motion. The cat tries to find and tag the mouse while navigating through the "stormy" terrain.
  
  

Bouncing Balls

• FunAndGames.org recommends this "Bouncing Balls" parachute activity. Pick three or four volunteers to go under the parachute. The rest of the children surround the parachute, stay standing and hold onto the chute's edge at waist height. When the game starts, throw two or three foam balls on top of the parachute near the middle. The children underneath the chute try to knock the balls off the parachute's surface, while the others maneuver the chute to try and keep the balls on.
  
  

Jaws

• Jaws requires one volunteer to be the shark. All students surround the parachute, sit on the ground and hold the chute at chest level. Their legs should be held out straight, underneath the parachute. The shark goes under the parachute and inches his way to find his first victim. He tags a player's foot and she then joins him under the chute to catch more prey. Although, this game does not pose much of a challenge, it promotes entertainment and laughter among all players.