PE Parachute Game: Sharks and Lifeguards

Play this fun parachute game with your elementary school gym class: Sharks and Lifeguards

Sharks and Lifeguards is a classic parachute game. I have been hesitant to play it in the past due to the potential roughness of the game. I decided to give it a try this year with some added caution. It was very successful and a favorite for my students.

The rules for parachute Sharks and Lifeguards

Students sit in a circle around the parachute with their legs straight out in front of them. Their legs are underneath the parachute.
A few students (I started with 3) are “sharks” and swim underneath the parachute.
The sharks try and pull beach dwellers under the chute by grabbing their legs.
A few students (equal in number to starting sharks) are “lifeguards”.
The lifeguards circle the parachute on foot and rescue those being pulled under.

I instructed my students that if they felt themselves being pulled under, they must let go of the parachute and raise both hands and call to a lifeguard for help. They cannot kick at the shark or hold on to anything, but they can try to scoot away and get extra help from the lifeguards.

The lifeguards help by grabbing the victim’s arms and pulling.
Once a player is pulled under, they become a shark.
If they are saved, they stay in position with legs under the chute.
As the game goes on more and more players become sharks.
When 90% of the group is under the chute, I blow my whistle for everyone to come out and we start a new round.

Safety tips:

Play outside on the grass versus inside on a hard gym floor
Instruct sharks that they may initially only grab one leg — this way the person being pulled will not get yanked too hard and bump their head on the ground
Have those sitting around the parachute wave it up and down slightly to keep air moving underneath — it gets hot under there!

I played the game with 2nd thru 5th grade and they all had a blast!

For parachutes on Amazon, click here.