DIY home crafts: Make this super easy DIY parachute with your kid 

Buying fun gadgets and toys can be exciting for kids. But making them at home creates a different sense of appreciation for them. Not only are they fun to play with, they also help kids in developing their motor skills, understanding of mechanics, scientific concepts, etc. Here is a fun, simple DIY home craft that teaches kids how to fashion their very own DIY parachute! Moreover, it also explains the concept of gravity and how it works in a practical way. Read on to find out the materials required for this craft, as well as a detailed step-by-step guide to make it. 

What you will need 
Ask your kid to help you gather these basic supplies which can be easily found at home. 

• 1 plastic bag (ensure that it is a light-weight plastic) 
• Thick string/ yarn 
• 1 paper cup 
• Scissors 
• Pencil 
• Decoration like paint, markers, glitter, stickers, etc. 

How to 
Here is a step-by-step guide to make the DIY parachute. Encourage your kids to follow these. 

• Using the scissors, carefully cut off the handles from the plastic bag. 
• Poke four holes around the corners of the bag with the scissors. While doing so, make sure that they are equidistant from each other. 
• After this, cut four holes in the rim of the paper cut. You can use a pencil to outline them first. 
• Next, cut four pieces of the thick string or yarn. Each piece has to be 10-12 inches long. Take one of them and put it through one of the holes in the cup. Tie a knot and secure it onto the cup. Repeat this process for the other three holes as well. 
• Thread each of the other ends of these pieces of yarn through the four holes in the plastic bag. Tie a knot to secure them also. 
• The basic parachute is ready! Your kid is free to decorate it however she wants using paints, glitter, stickers, markers, etc. Kids can be as creative with it. 

How to use this DIY parachute? 
Now that the parachute is ready and decorated, it is time to take it out for a spin. A windy day is ideal for this, so go out in a garden or lawn to test it out. Your kid is also free to put small, light-weight objects in the paper cup and keep a tab on how the parachute’s fly time is affected. This craft can also be created using other materials such as paper towel or a thin napkin. Ask your child to take note of how the material affects its performance.  

The main forces acting on the parachute are gravity and air resistance. When the parachute is released, it traps air molecules in it and thus increases the air resistance. This causes it to descend down at a slow pace without crashing.