Parachute Drop
A carrier bag, some string, and physics from the top of the stairs.
- Ages
- 4–11 yrs
- Play
- 15–35 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Mess
- barely any
- Energy
- lively
- Where
- anywhere
You’ll need
Mostly things you probably have at home.
- a small figureGet it on Amazon
- stringGet it on Amazon
- tapeGet it on Amazon
Optional
- a plastic bag or coffee filter for the canopyGet it on Amazon
- scissorsGet it on Amazon
- a timerGet it on Amazon
How to play
Before you start: Cut a square from a carrier bag, roughly 25cm a side.
Tape a length of string to each corner of the square.
Gather the four loose ends and tape them to the a small figure.
Drop it from a height — standing on a chair, or over the banister with you holding on.
Time the fall. Then drop the a small figure with no parachute and compare.
Make a second, much bigger canopy and test whether bigger is always slower.
What it helps with
Keep it safe
- An adult does any dropping from height. Children stay off the banister.
- Plastic bags near small children need close supervision.
Make it different next time
- Punch a hole in the center of the canopy and see if it falls straighter.
- Try a coffee filter as the canopy.
Cleanup: Keep the parachute — it gets used again.
Three more like this
- Good for siblings
