Parachute games and bunting questions

[monkeysmama]

Dd is 3 next week and am organising a little party for her. I've just got a big play parachute but am not sure what games to play with it.

Any other general game suggestions?

Also, bunting. I want some star bunting and am wondering if it's a good idea to make our own?

At our nursery we do a vague "We're going on a Bear Hunt" with the parachute, wiggling the parachute in time to the things like stumble trip, swishing swashy, etc. When the bear is following them back home they all shak the parachute like crazy then go underneath it when they hide in the bed. I wasn't sure how it would be received but the kids love it.

We also have some soft sea cretures we put on top and then someone tells a sea-ish story - use your imagination about the aves getting bigger and bigger etc and the kids jiggle the parachute accordingly trying to keep the fish on top.

I'm also on a search for bunting and haven't come across any star ones, sorry!

Bunting is quite easy to make, especially if you use pinking shears so you don't need to do fiddly hemming. I'm sure if you post in Arts and Crafts someone will tell you how they've done it. Do you mean stars on the bunting or star shaped bunting? If the latter I think you's need to stiffen the shapes somehow. Or you could make it from paper like this

Parachute:
Simple things work like:
Waking up the parachute - gently at first but when that doesn't work be more and more vigorous
Putting balloons on the top and getting them to shake them off
Just lifting it up and down and waving at whoever's opposite you.
Bring parachute up then down and hold it behind you and sit on it so it traps the air and turns it into a big tent

Games:
A game where to children have to run underneath and swap places before parachute comes down
Cat and Mouse: Everyone holds the parachute stretched out at about waist height. Someone is the mouse and goes underneath and someone else is the cat and goes on top.