Did you play with a parachute in school?

[Todd&Copper]

Yup, we played parachute in Hawaii in the late 1970s/early 1980s. In fact, I think the kindergarteners did a dance routine with a parachute for Lei Day [May Day] at our school. [My 3rd grade class did a gypsy dance, complete with homemade tambourines].

 

[Savsmommy]

Yep, I had the parachute all in elementary school. DD8 is in 3rd grade and she's also had it every year.

 

[DeterminedOne]

I'm glad someone mentioned the rope. I recently mentioned the rope to someone but they had no idea what I was talking about. And yes, I remember the parachute.

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't remember if we had one in school, but there was one in every single mommy and me class when my kids were little. They'd put balls on top, or everyone would run under... We even have one here at home!

 

[GoofysOnlyGirl]

When I was in elementry school, second half of the nineties, we played the big parachute games all the time it seemed like. Everyone could play all at once though and it was easy to keep kids in line since they had to be holding onto that parachute most of the time Never played it outside of elementry school though. My middle school was so small we did not even have a gym class, only a health class in a classroom...

 

[LukenDC]

I remember playing with the parachute when I was in kindergarten and first grade in San Diego. It was something that I always looked forward to. I also remember the many ominous warnings to never put my head through the center hole.

 

[corie161]

Yep! Parachute, trampoline, climbing the rope (although I never could do it ) You know, the good ole days where they told you to walk it off if you got hurt!

I was just thinking about our rope too, although we had 2 of them, one with knots up it and the other didn't. Could never do the one without the knots all the way to the top. Man, they'd never allow those ropes now, they were high!

 

[puffkin]

We had a parachute too (late 80's). I always was tall for my age and was so jealous cause only the teeny-tiny girls got to go in the middle and get tossed on the parachute.

Another favorite were the little scooters. They were basically a square piece of wood (or plastic) with wheels on the bottom adn you sat on them crossed legged and moved around using your hands. We did all sorts of things on them.

Finally was the game kill ball (until they changed the name to bombardment cause the name was too violent).....3 wooden pins set up on each end line. Each team got a ball and you threw them at each other. If you hit someone they were out. If they caught your ball (before it bounced) you were out. Key was to knock over the other teams pins but you couldn't go pass half court. If someone hit the backboard on the other side with the ball, all the people on your team who were out got to come back in the game. Best game ever!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I was just thinking about our rope too, although we had 2 of them, one with knots up it and the other didn't. Could never do the one without the knots all the way to the top. Man, they'd never allow those ropes now, they were high!

Come on! They had that mat was about 1 inch thick to catch you if you fell!

 

[mamamary]

I feel left out. No parachute for my elem. school. Maybe I'm too old. I grad. 8th gr. in the early 80s. I went to Catholic school. Maybe that's why. Although I really don't remember playing with any kind of props there. Yep - I'm jealous.

My kids did get to play with them though - also at some mommy & me classes and in some summer camps.

 

[Minnesota!]

Yes! LOVED it! It was a special treat to have parachute day! I went to a Catholic school, too.

DS goes to the same school now and THEY have parachute day, too! Wonder if its the same one I played with since we got it so infrequently - it has to have lasted, lol!

 

[Minnesota!]

We had a parachute too (late 80's). I always was tall for my age and was so jealous cause only the teeny-tiny girls got to go in the middle and get tossed on the parachute.

Another favorite were the little scooters. They were basically a square piece of wood (or plastic) with wheels on the bottom adn you sat on them crossed legged and moved around using your hands. We did all sorts of things on them.

Finally was the game kill ball (until they changed the name to bombardment cause the name was too violent).....3 wooden pins set up on each end line. Each team got a ball and you threw them at each other. If you hit someone they were out. If they caught your ball (before it bounced) you were out. Key was to knock over the other teams pins but you couldn't go pass half court. If someone hit the backboard on the other side with the ball, all the people on your team who were out got to come back in the game. Best game ever!

Ooh - I loved those scooters! We played "Medic Ball" with those. LOVED it!

Almost as fun as "Oregon Trail" on Computer day!!

 

[freckles and boo]

Yes, we had them back in the early seventies. And yes, my kids have them now. My first-grader said she played with one yesterday in gym. The ballet teacher also lets the kids play with one at the very end of class. They dance in circles and run under it.

The funny thing is, I remember the parachute being HUGE. The seem much smaller now that I am an adult.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

I was in elementry school in the 70's and I HATED those parachutes!!! I had a great fear of getting stuck under one and smothering. (Maybe I smothered to death in a previous life!! LOL!!)

They had one at church last summer and I wouldn't go near it!!

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

WOW! I remember the parachute! It was a big white parachute. I use to love when we did the parachute day. It was usually when it rained and we would go in the cafeteria to play for gym class.

 

[swtnikki]

I remember playing with that when I was in grammar school too.

 

[puffkin]

Ooh - I loved those scooters! We played "Medic Ball" with those. LOVED it!

Almost as fun as "Oregon Trail" on Computer day!!

Everyone at my school fought over Oregon Trail, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiago, Print Shop and Prodigy (early Internet type access) when we had computer day.

 

[ntsammy5]

Only in jump school.......

 

[englishteacha]

We had one here in Maine! I'll have to ask the PE teachers where I teach if they have one. That could be fun!

 

[bumbershoot]

When I was in elementary school, about once or twice a year, they would bring out a giant, multicolored parachute and we would play "parachute games" for P.E.

I don't remember exactly what it consisted of, but there were a lot of games where you would run under the parachute or get tossed up into the air on it.

GF and I were making the bed earlier, and I happened to mention that the bedsheet was like playing parachute games with our kitty, who kept running underneath. She said that she, too, had a parachute in her tiny Catholic school on the other side of the country from where I grew up. I guess I thought it was just my school

So we got to wondering -- did all schools in the 80s get grants to buy giant parachutes or something ??? And what was the point of the parachute, anyway? You only got to play with it once in a while, it wasn't part of regular P.E., and it wasn't clear what exactly it was supposed to be teaching you ...

So did you play with a parachute in school???

We did indeed play with such a thing, and I absolutely loved it. We all loved it! Don't know why, but it was extremely fun.

DS has seen such a thing on TV, and every so often when we're all making the bed, we do the same thing with the topsheet. DS loves it just as much as I loved playing with the parachute! Something is magical, almost, about being under something like that, something happens with our little family when we do that...we start giggling and being silly and it's just lovely.