Do you remember being in preschool or at story time at the library when you were a little kid? Do you remember the total glee you felt when they pulled out the multi-colored “parachute”?
I don’t know how a sheet of fabric can cause so much ecstasy, but it has done it again for the next generation. My boys were completely enthralled. 
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Thank you to the Toybrary of Austin for generously giving my family a membership in exchange for showcasing some of their amazing toys!
Supplies:
Assorted Balls
Directions:
Invite the children to grab two handles on the outside of the parachute. They’ll naturally start flapping their arms to make the parachute move. If you encourage them to work as a team, they’ll notice the graceful way the parachute moves compared to the chaos of everyone doing their own thing. See if they notice the difference in sound as well. When everyone is moving the parachute “to the beat of their own drum”, it sounds like it!
Next, try encouraging the children to lift their arms high and then quickly scoot under the parachute and close it around them like a tent. There’s something magical about a rainbow fort!
If you have enough children, you could have one child sit underneath the parachute while the other kids spin the parachute in a circle, singing “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” or “Ring Around the Rosie”. Have the child scamper out and a new one goes in at the end of every verse.
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When they tire of this exploration (which won’t be quickly, I promise), throw some balls into the mix. I loved watching my boys grow in their communication and teamwork as they tried to throw the ball higher and higher with the parachute. Or try playing “popcorn” with multiple balls flying all over the place.
We borrowed our parachute from the Toybrary of Austin. What’s a “Toybrary”? Exactly what it sounds like, a library for TOYS! It keeps clutter and waste at bay in our home while giving the kids tons of variety! Liza, the owner of the Toybrary is so sweet and loves getting educational, playful toys that help kids be kids! Austinites, I highly recommend looking into a membership with them.
There’s a “Young Rembrandts” Drawing Workshop July 18th, 9:30-12 that you don’t want to miss! (Check out the website for details!)
Julie is a frazzled mom of three tornadoes. As a dorky second-generation homeschooler, she writes about learning and play, natural living, special needs parenting and matters of the heart. She serves an astounding God that radically saved her.
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