5 Preschool Parachute Games for Listening, Counting and Teamwork

Start with Little Waves, Then Freeze to introduce holding and stopping. Once the group can pause together, choose a counting game, a cooperative ball challenge or paper popcorn. These parachute games for preschool keep everyone around the outside edge—no racing underneath or elimination.

Choose two or three games for your first session rather than trying the whole list. Keep rounds short; lower the parachute together for a rest whenever children’s arms tire.

Materials and setup

• A children’s play parachute, used according to its age guidance and instructions
• A clear, level play area with room around the entire parachute
• For Roll to a Friend: one large, lightweight, soft ball, larger than any center opening
• For Paper Popcorn: a handful of large paper shapes, such as leaves, hearts or circles, cut out by an adult

Check the fabric, seams and handles before play. Space children evenly around the edge, with room to move their arms without bumping neighbors. Have an adult lead and model each movement.

Agree on these rules before adding props:

• Hold with both hands using the grip recommended for your parachute; do not wrap handles around wrists.
• Keep feet in your own space. Do not pull against another child.
• On “freeze,” stop moving and keep holding. Lower together on “down.”
• Stay outside the parachute. Do not climb, sit or stand on the fabric, or put a head through its center opening.

Early-childhood educator Sharron Krull recommends establishing a freeze command, holding with both hands and keeping children away from the center opening in her parachute-play guidance.

Let children watch before joining. For seated participation, arrange the group so the edge is comfortably within reach and use small movements; avoid having taller players pull it beyond another child’s reach.

1. Little Waves, Then Freeze

Practice: Listening for a cue and changing movement size.

1. Hold the parachute at a comfortable height with elbows relaxed.
2. Model tiny up-and-down hand movements: “Let’s make little ripples.”
3. Say “freeze” and stop your own hands. Wait for the fabric to settle.
4. Restart with slightly bigger waves, then return to little ripples.

Use concrete prompts: “Small waves. Bigger waves. Still water.” Keep the movements controlled rather than asking for the fastest possible shaking.

Simplify: Use only “waves” and “freeze,” paired with a visible demonstration.

Extend: Let a child choose “little” or “big” while the adult continues to give the stopping cue. Nobody is out for missing a cue; simply model it again.

2. Count, Lift and Lower

Practice: Counting in sequence and moving together.

1. Begin with the parachute held low, without bending uncomfortably.
2. Count slowly: “One, two, three—lift!” Everyone raises their arms only as high as is comfortable.
3. Say “down” and lower together.
4. Pause before repeating so the group starts from the same position.

Keep children in place around the edge throughout. Krull’s guidance also uses raising and lowering on the leader’s command.

Simplify: Use “up” and “down” without counting. Children can follow your movement without speaking.

Extend: Make three gentle lifts, counting each completed lift once: “One… two… three.” This gives the counting a clear action to match.

3. Roll to a Friend

Practice: Cooperation, names and noticing how a tilt changes the ball’s direction.

1. Hold the parachute steady and place the ball in the middle.
2. Name and point to a willing participant: “Let’s roll it toward Sam.”
3. Model a small tilt: players opposite Sam raise their edge slightly while Sam’s side stays a little lower. Adjust gently so the ball rolls slowly.
4. As the ball approaches Sam, bring the edges back toward level to slow it, then choose another destination.

This adapts Aussie Childcare Network’s Roll a Friend a Ball, which asks children to work together to roll a large ball toward a named child.

Simplify: Explore moving the ball slowly in any direction before naming a destination.

Extend: Ask, “Which side needs to go a little higher?” Try the children’s suggestions. If the ball falls off, freeze and have an adult retrieve it—no chasing.

4. Paper Popcorn

Practice: Comparing movement and describing what happens.

1. Place the large paper shapes on the parachute.
2. Make tiny waves and watch the pieces move.
3. Try slightly bigger waves. Ask, “What changed?”
4. Freeze, lower the parachute fully, and collect the pieces only after the fabric is still.

This is a gentle version of Gryphon House’s theme-based parachute activity, which uses paper cutouts with fast, slow and lifting movements.

Simplify: Use just a few shapes and one movement.

Extend: Predict whether tiny or bigger waves will move more pieces off the fabric, then try both. Use large paper pieces rather than confetti or small loose props.

5. Shake–Lift Pattern

Practice: Copying and continuing a repeating movement pattern.

1. Remove all props.
2. Model one small shake followed by one gentle lift and lower.
3. Repeat slowly: “Shake, lift. Shake, lift.”
4. Pause and ask, “What comes next?” Children may answer with words or movement.

Simplify: Have children copy one action at a time without asking them to predict.

Extend: Try “shake, shake, lift.” Keep the actions distinct and return to the simpler pattern if the group loses track. For a follow-up away from the parachute, choose one of these preschool pattern games.

Finish with still water

Remove any remaining props, make tiny ripples and gradually stop. Say, “Lower together,” and place the parachute flat before anyone lets go or steps away. If children begin tugging, bumping or chasing props during a game, use this same reset before deciding whether to restart.