Make a Parachute

Anyone can make a simple toy parachute. Whether you're making it out of plastic or paper, this parachute will be a great accessory for some of your tiny toys. If you want to know how to make a toy parachute and have it floating through the air in no time at all, just follow these steps.

Steps

Make a Plastic Parachute

  1. Cut an octagonal shape from a polythene bag. Any ordinary grocery bag will do. An octagon has eight sides of equal length and resembles a "Stop" sign. Take a ruler to measure that each side has a length of about 4 inches (10 cm).
  2. Make a small hole at each corner of the octagon. You should make eight holes in all. Find a sharp object such as the end of a metal paintbrush or a very thin pair of scissors and punch a hole about .5 inches (1.2 cm) away from each corner. Touch the sharp object to the polythene and then gently push it through, being careful not to tear the bag.
  3. Tie a 10 inch (25 cm) piece of string through each hole. Just run the string through the hole and tie it in two sturdy knots outside the hole to keep it firmly in place. A thin piece of string will work best because the thicker the string, the more it will weigh down the parachute. The parachute should be as aerodynamic as possible.
    • Choose a string with a color that contrasts the shape of the parachute, such as brown.
  4. Tie the long ends of the string to a paper clip. Tie each of the eight strings to the same part of a paperclip, creating one thick knot. Use a thinner paper clip so you don't weigh down the parachute too much.
  5. Find a toy that will use the parachute. You can use a toy soldier, make a person out of modeling clay, or use any small figurine that would use the parachute -- it doesn't have to be a person. Animals like using parachutes just as much as people.
  6. Attach the toy to the paper clip. Latch the paper clip around the toy, whether it's around its neck, waist, or one of its legs. If you can't find a good point to attach the paper clip to the toy, you should use another toy. Once you attach the toy to the paper clip, the toy will be connected to the parachute and will be ready to use it.
  7. Cut a hole that is .4 x .4 inches (1 cm x 1 cm) in the middle of the parachute. This hole will be used to stabilize the parachute. As your parachute falls, this hole will direct the airflow and will prevent the air from trying to escape around the edges.
  8. Use your parachute. Hold the polythene part of the parachute as high as it will go. You can even climb onto a chair for extra height. Then, throw it up slightly and watch the parachute fall to the ground. For extra cushion for your toy, you can throw it over a thick carpet or a field of grass.

Make a Paper Parachute

  1. Find an ordinary napkin. A napkin on the thicker side will be best so it won't tear. But if it's too thick, the parachute won't be as aerodynamic.
  2. Cut four 12 inch (30 cm) pieces of yarn. Use yarn of medium thickness for the best results.
  3. Tie each piece of yarn to a corner of the napkin. Just pinch the ends of the napkin and tie the yarn around them. This method of attachment works better than poking holes in the napkin, because this will make the napkin more likely to tear.
  4. Tie the ends of the yarn together. Tie them together at their ends, creating one thick knot.
  5. Cut a 6 inch (15 cm) piece of yarn. Tie this piece to the knot that holds the other four threads together. This piece will attach to the toy that will use the parachute.
  6. Tie this piece of yarn around a toy. Find any toy suitable for parachute use and tie the hanging string around it. Once you've firmly attached the string to the toy, tie the free end to the knot that holds the threads together to attach the toy to the parachute. It should tie around the middle of the toy for balance.
  7. Use your new parachute. To see your parachute in action, just place your hand inside its center, throw the parachute in the air, and let it go. Watch the parachute and your toy float down safely.

Make Other Parachutes

  1. Make a parachute with a plastic bag and a straw. This eye-catching parachute requires a bit more work but it's worth the effort. You need a plastic bag, a straw, some heat, and some beads to weigh down the straw.
  2. Make a circular plastic parachute. This version of the plastic parachute is round instead of octagonal and requires the use of tape.
  3. Make a hexagonal plastic parachute. This plastic parachute is shaped like a hexagon and uses a washer for stability.

Card Paraglider

  1. Get a piece of card roughly about 15cm by 30cm wide.
  2. Punch a hole in each corner.
  3. Attach string to each corner's hole.
  4. Tie the string to one, at the very end.
  5. Add a weight and you're ready to go.



Tips

  • If you can, use stretchy polythene bags, they are better than any other material.
  • Throw your parachute as high as possible. If it breaks, it is easy to make a new one.

Warnings

  • Be careful not to cut yourself making the parachute.
  • Don't try to use this method to make a life-size parachute for yourself!

Things You'll Need

  • Polythene bag
  • Scissors
  • Modeling clay (or a plastic person figurine instead)
  • String
  • Paper clip

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