Homemade Parachute

 

 

 

Homemade parachute -- for toys. Not for human use (in case you were wondering).

Have some dead time you need to fill? Bored kids looking for something remotely productive to fill their free time?

One Saturday afternoon I woke from a sweet little nap to find these supplies covering our table and my husband and kids having a lot of fun together.

 First, gather supplies:
- Hole punch

- Plastic grocery bag
- string
- rubber bands

- tape

- scissors
- small toys ready for flight.

 

Second, arrange bag

- Best done with brand new, never opened bag if you have one.
- Otherwise, try to flatten it out to somewhat resemble a new bag




Next, this quick video clip shows how we folded the bags to easily cut two circles to use as parachutes:

Once the bag has been folded properly, you are ready to cut the excess off and easily form two circles in what is left in the middle.




 

Take one of the circles and put tape over six spots evenly spaced around the edge to reinforce the plastic. Punch holes through the bag and tape.







Decorate if desired using permanent markers





 

 

Tie strings to the holes, and attach to rubber band which then gets wrapped around the toy that is ready for take off.

 

Finished!




This is a really fun, simple, inexpensive way to spend the afternoon. These can be wrapped carefully and thrown up to parachute down or dropped from a loft area or deck.

And, if you feel the need to make it educational as well, compare different items, make different parachute sizes, try different materials,  drop from different heights, etc. I’m sure your kids can come up with lots of variations to this simple “game.”

Enjoy more Works for me Wednesday.