3 Ways To Make A Toy Parachute - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Make a Toy Parachute PDF download Download Article Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 19, 2026 Approved

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  • Making a Simple Parachute
    • |
  • Making a Parachute for a Toy Soldier
    • |
  • Making a Large Parachute
    • |
  • Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Warnings
    • |
  • Things You'll Need
|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 606,096 times. Learn more...

Parachutes are a great way to learn about gravity and air resistance. They are also a great way to pass the time, especially once you begin to experiment with different weights and sizes. If you already know how to make a simple parachute, why not try a larger, more advanced one instead?

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Making a Simple Parachute

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 1 Get a napkin or cut a square out of a plastic bag. If you are going to use a napkin, choose a large, dinner-sized one. A paper towel could also work.[1]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 2 Cover each corner with a piece of tape. Flip the napkin over, and cover the back of each corner as well. This will make the corners nice and strong for the next step.[2] Advertisement
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 3 Punch a hole into each corner with a hole puncher. Make sure that you are only punching through the taped area, otherwise the napkin will rip.[3]
    • If you don't have a hole puncher, cut a small slit into each corner instead.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 4 Cut four pieces of string. Each piece needs to be the same length as your square. For example, if your square was 8 inches (20 centimeters) on each side, then your strings should be 8 inches (20 centimeters) long.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 5 Thread and tie the strings through the holes. Take your first string and poke the end up through a hole. Bring the end down, and tie it to the rest of the string. Do this for the other strings and corners.[4]
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 6 Thread the strings through a button. Find a button that has four holes in it. Feed the other end of each string through each hole. Tie the strings together into one big knot under the button.[5]
    • You can also tie the strings to a paperclip, a charm, or a small washer.
    • If you have a small toy, like a Lego or plastic soldier, tie two strings together on each side to make loops.[6]
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 7 Toss the parachute. Hold the parachute by the button, then toss it upwards. If you are allowed to, climb up onto a table or chair, and try again! This will give the parachute even more time to float down!
    • If you made loops for a small toy, slip the loops under the toy's arms first.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Making a Parachute for a Toy Soldier

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 1 Cut a large square out of a plastic bag. Make the square at least 8 inches (20 centimeters) on each side.
    • This parachute will only work on small toys, about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) tall. Great toys include toy soldiers and Lego men. It won't work on dolls and bears.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 2 Tie a knot into each corner of the square. This will help keep the strings on. Set the square aside when you are done.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 3 Cut two long pieces of string. Each piece of string needs to be twice the length of you square. For example, if your square was 8 inches (20 centimeters) on each side, then the strings should be 16 inches (40 centimeters) long.[7]
    • You can use yarn, fishing line, embroidery floss, or even thread!
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 4 Tie the end of each string to each corner of the square. Take your first string, and tie each end to a corner on the top of the square. Take your second string, and tie each end to the corners on the bottom.[8]
    • Make sure that you are tying the strings behind the knots so that they don't slide off.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 5 Slip a small toy through the loops. Find a small, plastic figure, like a toy soldier or Lego man. Slip the left loop under the left arm, and the right loop under the right arm. If the strings won't stay on, stick a piece of tape over them.
    • The toy should be 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) tall. If it's too big or heavy, the parachute won't work.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 6 Toss the parachute. Hold the parachute by the toy, toss it upwards, and watch it float down! If you are allowed to, get onto a chair or staircase, and try again. This will give the parachute more time to fall down.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Making a Large Parachute

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 1 Cut a 24-inch (61-centimeter) square out of a cheap, plastic tablecloth. Make sure it is the thin kind; the kind that have the felt coating on the back will be too thick for this project. If you can't find any cheap, plastic tablecloths, use a large trash bag instead.[9]
    • This parachute will work on action figures that are 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10 centimeters) tall, like Star Wars action figures.[10]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 2 Cut a 5-inch (13-centimeter) square out of each corner. Fold the square in half to make a rectangle, then fold it in half again to make a square. Draw a 5-inch (13-centimeter) square on the corner where all four corners are loose (not joined). Cut the square out, going through all four layers, then unfold the square. You will have something that looks like a plus sign.[11]
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 3 Tape together the cut corners along the bottom point. Go to the first corner you cut the 5-inch (13-centimeter) square from. Push the edges together to close the square. Place a 2-inch (5-centimeter) piece of tape halfway over the bottom edge. Leave the bottom half of the tape hanging over the edge of the tablecloth.[12]
    • Do this for the remaining three corners.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 4 Flip the tablecloth over and fold the pieces of tape onto the back. Flip the tablecloth cove. You should still see the pieces of tape sticking out from underneath it. Fold each piece of tape over the edge of the table cloth. Now the corners are taped on both sides.[13]
    • You will have something that looks like a bag or basket with a slit in each corner. Do not tape these slits up!
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 5 Cut two long pieces of string, and make a mark at each end. Find some thin cording, such as crochet string, thin yarn, or kite string. Cut two 30-inch (76-centimeter) pieces. Use a marker to make a dot on each string, 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) away from each end.[14]
    • You will need two dots on each string, one fo each end. These will be your guides for the next step.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 6 Tape the end of your first string to one of the taped corners. Take your first string, and place the end over one of the corners you taped up. Align the mark with the edge of the tablecloth, then place a strip of tape over it. You will have about ½ inch (1 centimeter) of string peeking out over the top of the tape.[15]
    • Keep the tape horizontal; don't let it hang over the edge of the parachute.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 7 Tape the end of the string down. Fold the loose end of the string over the tape, towards the edge of the tablecloth. Place another piece of tape over it to secure it.[16]
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 8 Tape the other end of the string to the next corner. Use the same technique as before. When you are done, tape the other string in the same way. When you are done, you'll have two loops hanging from your parachute.[17]
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 9 Tie a knot into the middle of each loop. Hook your finger through the first loop and tug it away from the parachute to find the middle. Tie a knot in the loop right above your finger. The loop should have equal amounts of string on both sides of the knot.[18]
    • Repeat this step for the other loop.
    • Leave some space between the knot and the middle of the string. You want to be able to feed elastic through it.
  10. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Toy Parachute 10 Slip the mini loops over the arms of an action figure. If the loops are too small, you can link mini rubber bands together to make a harness for the figure. You can also lay a strip of tape across the figure and the string to hold everything together.
    11. Advertisement

Community Q&A

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  • Question What should I do if my parachute will not float? Community Answer Community Answer Try using a lighter object to attach to the parachute. Or, you could use a larger canopy. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 75 Helpful 154
  • Question From how high up can I release the parachute? Community Answer Community Answer Holding you hand above your head should be enough. If you can drop it off of a second-story balcony, the parachute will float further. Just make sure that there's no one standing beneath the balcony and that you can get to the parachute again. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 77 Helpful 110
  • Question What determines the rate of descent on the parachute? Community Answer Community Answer There are two main variables to make the parachute fall at different speeds: 1) The mass of the object that you are attaching to the parachute (more mass=more gravitational force acting on the object) makes the parachute fall at different speeds. 2) The size of the canopy can make a huge difference to the speed of the fall for example a larger canopy traps air resistance making the parachute fall more slowly and making it more effective. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 76 Helpful 114
See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Tips

  • Experiment with dropping the parachute from different heights.[19] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • The higher you are when you drop, the better the parachute will work. Drop it slowly; don't throw it downward.[20] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • You can cut your parachute into other shapes, like octagons or pentagons, but you will need more strings (one for each corner).[21] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Show More Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
  • If you use this toy parachute for an egg drop, put some kind of cushion (like bubble wrap) around the egg. The parachute won't slow the egg down enough to keep it from breaking.
  • I have always used a large handkerchief or bandana. Just cut the corners off evenly. It even works great for a small G.I. Joe figure.
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • Always make sure that there isn't anyone standing in the landing zone underneath the parachute. Thanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 3
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Things You'll Need

Making a Simple Parachute

  • Large napkin or plastic bag
  • Tape
  • Scissors
  • String
  • Hole puncher (recommended)
  • Button, paperclip, charm, etc.

Making a Parachute for a Small Toy

  • Plastic bag
  • Scissors
  • String
  • And More!
  • Small toy (ie: toy soldier or Lego man)

Making a Large Parachute

  • Cheap, plastic tablecloth
  • Measuring tape
  • Marking pen
  • String
  • Tape
  • Scissors
  • Small toy
  • And more!

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References

  1. ↑ http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2011/02/toy-parachute-craft.html
  2. ↑ http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2011/02/toy-parachute-craft.html
  3. ↑ http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2011/02/toy-parachute-craft.html
  4. ↑ http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2011/02/toy-parachute-craft.html
  5. ↑ https://www.education.com/activity/article/parachute_kindergarten/
  6. ↑ http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2011/02/toy-parachute-craft.html
  7. ↑ http://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/coffee-filter-parachute-lego-minifigure-parachute-activity/
  8. ↑ http://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/coffee-filter-parachute-lego-minifigure-parachute-activity/
  9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
More References (13)
  1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
  6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
  9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WfzFZsevg&feature=youtu.be&t=3m48s
  10. ↑ https://www.education.com/activity/article/parachute_kindergarten/
  11. ↑ http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/freefall.html
  12. ↑ http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/freefall.html
  13. ↑ http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/freefall.html

About This Article

wikiHow Staff Co-authored by: wikiHow Staff wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 606,096 times. 89 votes - 79% Co-authors: 131 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 606,096 Categories: Craft for Kids Article SummaryX

To make a toy parachute, start by finding a napkin or cutting a square out of a plastic bag. Next, cover each corner with tape to make them more sturdy. After you’ve finished all 4 corners, cut a small slit in each taped corner. Then, cut 4 pieces of string to the same length as the sides of your square, and poke a piece of string up through each hole and secure it in a knot. Finally, thread the other ends of the string through a button with 4 holes or paper clip and tie them in a knot. To learn how to attach your parachute to a toy soldier or how to make a larger parachute, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Jonathan Maloney

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    May 1, 2018

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. wikiHow Staff Co-authored by: wikiHow Staff wikiHow Staff Writer 89 votes - 79% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 131 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 606,096 Jonathan Maloney

Jonathan Maloney

May 1, 2018

"I needed to make a parachute for and egg drop experiment, and using this method I was able to slow the descent of..." more Rated this article: Taylor Lawson

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"This was very helpful for my science fair project. It got me an A+." Jared Busker

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