Spring Parachutes

Spring Parachutes

Age: Preschool through elementary
Time: 30 minutes or more
Type of activity: Science Craft

Breezy spring days are the perfect time to discover how the wind works.

Materials needed:
· Paper cup
· Handkerchief, square piece of cloth, or plastic grocery bag
· 4 pieces of string (approximately 8 inches long)
· Paper punch
· Pennies or plastic figurines

What to do:

Step One: Punch four evenly spaced holes around the top of the paper cup. Tie one end of a piece of string to each hole.

Step Two: Tie each loose end of string to one of the four corners of the cloth (or make four corners from the grocery bag).

Step Three: Add pennies or plastic figurines to the bottom of the paper cup for balance. This will make your parachute glide longer.

Step Four: Throw your parachute from a hill, bridge, or staircase where it can be easily retrieved. Try adding more pennies or figurines for different glide lengths.