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You’d be hard-pressed to find a Gen Xer or Millennial who doesn’t have fond memories of making giant mushroom caps, rolling and bouncing beach balls, or chasing classmates while holding onto a multi-colored parachute. Part of its timeless magic was because, unlike traditional sports or merciless dodgeball, parachute play encouraged play for play’s sake, not establishing winners and losers.

But how exactly did this game become such a staple of the ‘80s and ‘90s? Well, that's a story every bit as colorful as the parachute itself.

As explained by popular “research party” host Phil Edwards, the first mention of parachute play dates all the way back to the ‘60s, largely thanks to a physical education teacher named Betty Henrie, who wrote the first parachute play guidebook. In it, she described parachute play as a “quite vigorous” and “very stimulating” method for all children to reap the benefits of exercise, including those with disabilities.

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The inclusive nature of parachute play would eventually catch the attention of the founders of the “Whole Earth” movement (an "outgrowth of the hippy movement,” as Edwards put it) in the ‘70s. As a direct response to the Vietnam War, the Whole Earth movement sought to invent and popularize games that strayed away from competitiveness and promoted getting along through a manual called The New Games Book.

Naturally, parachute games fit the bill and made it into the book. And ever since, educators have been recognizing its benefits. One guide from 1981 hailed it as “ideal for introducing movements to children with severe multiple impairments. Children who might have a hard time gripping a ball or holding a bat could more easily hold a parachute.”

Parachutes are still being used in schools to help kids hone motor and social skills. The simplest, most common games include:

Cat and Mouse

One “cat” is placed on top of the parachute, and up to three “mice” under the parachute. The cat tries to tag the mice as the other kids shake the parachute to hide the mice.

Merry-Go-Round

Two groups move in a circle, one moving clockwise and the other moving counterclockwise with the parachute, to create a spinning motion that mimics the circular movement of a merry-go-round.

Making Waves/Shaking The Parachute

This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Make big waves, small waves, ripples, tidal waves with the parachute…so simple yet so fun.

Other games might incorporate nursery rhymes or songs, balls, seasonal items, etc. They might even be used as a way to wind down after more active games. Parachute play is nothing if not versatile.

It goes to show that even though kids are inundated with trendy new tech, some classic methods remain superior, due in no small part to the intentions involved in making them. As Edwards concluded in his video:

"It's not this super random and fun thing; it's actually the contribution of dedicated and creative teachers and those who wanted to include new people in play for better vibes or better accessibility, and we all got to benefit and experience something that feels a lot like magic."