Here’s a big list of parachute songs, games, and activities to explore form, melodic direction, rhythm, beat, and vocal exploration.
These activities provide a fun application for music elements as well as physical activity for fitness, a brain break, and a social-emotional learning (SEL) outlet.
The Playlist
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Parachute Buying Guide
Here are the parachutes I used in my classroom.
The big one was super sturdy and from Sportime. The partner parachutes are AMAZING! The classroom image is where the partners were singing to the stuffed animal on their parachute.
How to Create a Parachute Routine
Choose your music then use it’s natural characteristics to plug into the graphic chart below. Look especially at form, melodic direction, tempo, and dynamics.
Parachute Song & Music Routines
Trepak Partner Parachute Activity
Students are familiar with the piece because of its commercial use. Here’s the teaching process that I used.
- I taught a class movement version while displaying the basic AABA form. (A=jump, jump, jog in place pattern, B=legato arm swings)
- Preparing for the partner activity, I highlighted some ideas on my movement wall: locomotor/non-locomotor, levels, complementary movement, etc., and reminded them that they only had to come up with three ideas-A, B, and a coda.
- Then I gave them the parachute and told them I’d play the piece repeatedly for a few minutes so they could work out their routine. During practice time I’d call out A, B, and coda.
- Then the big performance with everyone.
- Then half the room performed while the other half watched, discussion on what they saw, etc., and then switch groups.
This video helps solidify the FORM of Trepak!
Eye of the Tiger Routine
Star Wars Parachute Music Activity
Spring by Vivaldi
Parachute Song Routine to The Greatest Showman
Monkeys Spinning Monkeys
The viral TikTok song with lots of teaching ideas including a class parachute routine!
Take 5 by Dave Brubeck
Multiple lesson activities including a routine for large or small parachutes for this classic jazz piece in 5/4 time!
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Parachute Activities on TPT
How Sweet
Created from text in Winnie-the-Pooh V.1, this song about clouds, rain, and positivity uses a 12-bar blues format, Rock & Roll instrumentation, and includes ukulele chords, prominent dotted half note rhythms, and a melody centering around s-f-m.
There’s a bonus parachute routine included!
Bounce High Bounce Low
Find engaging ways for your students to play BARRED INSTRUMENTS with a NEW easy-to-teach rhyme melody and Orff arrangement, that goes with the CLASSIC song Bounce High Bounce Low. Includes a FUN parachute activity!
Vocal Exploration
With it’s directional movements, parachutes are perfect for vocal exploration activities!
Up and Down Melodic Direction
Activities
- Up & Down Glissandos-Perfect for all students but especially your reluctant singers, put an object such as a stuffed animal (or two or three) into the center and “sing” for them as you lift and lower the parachute. The object of the game is to keep the animals from falling off the parachute. When you use multiple animals, if one falls off, it stays off. The game can continue as long as some animals remain on the parachute.
- Sensory Fun-keep the up and down movement and glissandos going as you choose different students to lie down on their backs in the middle. The whoosh of the air and brush of the parachute as it comes down can be thrilling but also “chill”ing, similar to a brushing technique. Safety: holding the parachute up high, call out students (by name, shirt color, birthday month, etc. to slowly go to the center and lie down)
- Sol-Mi Songs are perfect for this basic up and down motion. Sol La Mi songs sometimes work too if the la is by the sol and can just become incorporated into that same “up” motion. Songs include Star Light Star Bright, 1 2 Tie My Shoe, Doggie Doggie, It’s Raining It’s Pouring.
Songs
- Sol-Mi Songs are perfect for this basic up and down motion. Sol La Mi songs sometimes work too if the la is by the sol and can just become incorporated into that same “up” motion. Songs include Star Light Star Bright, 1 2 Tie My Shoe, Doggie Doggie, It’s Raining It’s Pouring
- Sol-Mi-La Songs where la is in a pronounced place are strong visually and physically on the parachute. The parachute positions are mi on the floor, sol with hands by waist, and la with hands up high. You may need to slow the tempo to get the feel. Songs include Bounce High, Bounce Low, Snail Snail, We Are Dancing In the Forest
More Coming Soon!
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