Summer Craft: Handmade Parachutes
This fun craft will help kids think of their downtime in summer as a blessing. They’ve been “up” in school all semester and now it’s time to come “down” and rest. Like a parachute, what goes up must come down!
Let’s take a look at how to make your own easy parachute craft with kids this summer!
Materials for DIY Parachute craft
• Square of Plastic Wrap
• Strings and a needle
• Small toy
• Ruler
• Marker
• Scissors
Rest time is as important to us as work. It is the opposite of plant life in nature. During the winter, plants and trees “rest” and during the summer they bloom. For kids, winter, spring and fall are for going to school and working towards building our intellectual and spiritual lives. In the summer we have freedom to pursue other activities.
Those activities don’t always mean play-time. There is time to reflect on the bounty of life manifested by the food and plants that grow during the summer.
Take a few minutes each day to appreciate the plants, food and flowers that bloom in the summer.
Instructions – How to Make a Parachute Craft
1. Cut a 10 to 12 inch square of plastic wrap. Try to make it as square and even as possible.
2. Use a needle to poke the string through the plastic, and place the string on all four corners of the plastic wrap.
3. Hang a small toy at the bottom of the strings. The heavier the toy, the faster
the parachute will fall.
4. Test your parachute! Success!
What Kids Can Get Out of Making Parachutes
Making parachutes out of saran wrap is a blast for kids, but guess what? They’re learning loads too, and not just about how to keep craft glue off the carpet!
Their little fingers get a workout as they put together the parachute, which is a super way to build fine motor skills. Plus, they’re figuring out how to turn a pile of supplies into a working parachute, which is a pretty awesome problem-solving challenge. But the cool part? They’re learning some basic science without even realizing it! Things like gravity and air resistance suddenly make sense when you see them in action. If they’re making parachutes with friends, they’re also learning to work as a team. So, this simple activity is actually a secret learning bonanza!
The Basics of Parachute Science
So, what’s the science behind these nifty parachutes? It’s all about gravity and air resistance, or drag.
When you drop something, like your homemade parachute, gravity starts pulling it straight down to the ground. But parachutes are crafty – their big surface area pushes against the air, creating a whole bunch of air resistance.
This slows the parachute’s fall, giving it that gentle float we love to watch. The bigger the parachute’s surface, the more air it pushes against, and the slower it falls.
It’s a hands-on way for kids to get to grips with some basic physics. And the best part? They’re having so much fun, they don’t even know they’re learning!
Summer creates provide many uplifting opportunities. With less time in school, there is more time to pursue our other interests. We can “fall” fast and hard from our winter activities, or we can float more slowly.
What goes up, must come down. We are “up” all year with school work and clubs and lessons. Even though we still do things in the summer, it is a restful time. We consider this “down time.”
Like our parachutes, what goes up, must come down!
More Science for Kids
- Easy Rainbow Walking Water Science Experiment For Kids
- Growing Gummy Bears Kitchen Science Experiment for Kids
- Make Your Own Super Hero Invisible Ink
- Popsicle Stick Catapult STEM Activity
Mary Kate Warner
Post contributed by Mary-Kate Warner. Mary-Kate is a regular blogger at Christianity Cove . You can often find her writing about Christian Parenting, Homeschool Teaching, Bible Study and Sunday School Activities, Faith and inspiring children to love God. Follow her at @SundaySchoolGal Facebook Google+ & Pinterest
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
I do love making parachutes with the kids – it’s something I used to do all the time when I was small. I was thrown by ‘semester’ to start with 😀
these are fab, we definitely need to make these!
these look ace, i think we will be giving them a go 🙂
oh i must do this with my grandson, what a great idea
So fun!! Thanks for sharing at After School!
Great science experiment!! Thanks for linking up at “Our Days.” I’m pinning this one to the homeschool boards. 🙂
What a cute idea! I will have to try this when mine is a little older-pinning.
These are great, perfect for the upcoming busy period when the kids are off school.