Parachute Treasure Dive

Name and Purpose

• Parachute Treasure Dive builds anticipation, memory, and gentle courage in a low-pressure game.
• Players practise listening, sensory awareness, and cheering each other on.

a.k.a.

• Treasure Hunt, Sea Storm Treasure

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 7-12 | 8-24 players | 10-20 minutes | Indoor gym or sheltered outdoor flat space

Materials

• 1 parachute (standard camp size)
• 1 small box or drawstring bag (the treasure chest)
• 5-10 named items: use camper-owned items collected with permission, or safe oddments (coloured ball, bandana, pinecone, small toy)
• Items should be easy to identify by touch in low light
• Optional: a blindfold for an added sensory challenge (player’s choice only)

Quick-Run Card

1. Place the treasure chest under the centre of the parachute.
2. Everyone makes slow, steady Sea Storm waves.
3. Staff calls the name of one item and invites a Diver.
4. The Diver moves under the parachute, finds the item, and returns.
5. Diver shows the group. Celebrate. Invite a new Diver.

Setup and Boundaries

• Lay the parachute flat. Place the treasure chest in the centre before play begins.
• Signal: 1 short whistle = Diver pause; 2 whistles = everyone stop and lower the parachute.
• Players making waves keep movements slow and even. No sharp snapping.
• Staff should be aware of campers who may find going under the parachute uncomfortable.

How to Play

1. Everyone sits or kneels around the parachute edge and holds it with both hands.
2. Together, make slow, rolling Sea Storm waves.
3. Staff names one item from the treasure chest and invites a volunteer Diver.
4. The Diver moves under the parachute, finds the named item by touch or sight, and brings it back.
5. The group cheers when the Diver emerges. Staff narrates: ‘They found it!’
6. The retrieved item is placed to the side. A new Diver is invited for the next item.
7. The game ends when all items are retrieved, or after a set time. Optional: staff can describe the item (‘something soft and round’) rather than name it directly, adding a memory and guessing layer.

I-OPt Options Start:

• A (Active): Volunteer as the first Diver.
• S (Support): Hold the parachute and help set an even wave rhythm.
• Q (Quiet): Hold the edge gently and watch the wave pattern.
• O (Observer): Sit just outside the circle and keep track of which items have been retrieved.

Mid:

• A (Active): Dive when invited or help call out descriptions of items.
• S (Support): Steady the wave so the Diver has a calm space to enter.
• Q (Quiet): Hold still on your section to create a calm entry point for the Diver.
• O (Observer): Track retrieved items and let staff know what is left.

Late:

• A (Active): Take on the harder dives (last items in the chest).
• S (Support): Cheer loudly when a Diver emerges.
• Q (Quiet): Keep making slow, steady waves. Your rhythm helps everyone.
• O (Observer): Announce the final count when all items are retrieved.

End:

• A (Active): Help return all items and pack the treasure chest.
• S (Support): Fold the parachute as part of the group.
• Q (Quiet): Sort and return items at your own pace.
• O (Observer): Share one highlight from the game before leaving.

Inclusion Adaptations

• Players who prefer not to go under the parachute can be the ‘Caller’ (describing items to the Diver) or the ‘Collector’ (receiving items as they emerge). Both roles are essential to the game.
• For players with sensory sensitivities to enclosed spaces or low light, the Diver role can be modified: lower the parachute edge on one side so the player retrieves from just under the lip rather than going fully under.
• Items in the treasure chest should be tactilely distinct so players can find them by feel, supporting players who may have visual impairments.
• Players who use wheelchairs can hold the parachute edge from their chair and participate fully in the wave-making and cheering.

Stewardship Moment

• Use items from nature (pinecones, smooth stones, leaves) as some of the treasure. After the game, return them to where they came from.
• Ask: ‘If you hid treasure somewhere in nature, how would you make sure it was safe to find and safe to leave?’

Consent

• Pre-brief: ‘This game involves going under the parachute to find something. For those not comfortable going underneath, the Caller and Collector roles keep you right in the middle of the action from the outside.’
• Before using camper-owned items: ask each person’s permission before placing their item in the treasure chest. ‘Is it okay if we use your bandana as one of the treasures?’
• Mid-game check: After 2-3 dives, pause. ‘Thumbs up, sideways, or down. How is everyone feeling? Anyone want to try a different role?’
• Opt-out and re-entry: Raise both hands to step back from a role. Call ‘In!’ to rejoin in any capacity.

Risks and Mitigation

• Diver bumping into the treasure chest: place the chest in the centre and brief Divers to move slowly once inside.
• Overheating under the parachute: keep dive time to under 30 seconds. Whistle if anyone needs to come out.
• Items that could cause injury (sharp edges, choking hazards): staff preview all items before placing them in the chest.
• Players anxious about going under: the Caller and Collector roles remove that pressure entirely.

Warm-Up Suggestions

• ‘Sea Storm’: practise slow waves together before the game starts. Build to a big storm, then calm it back down.
• ‘Name the Treasure’: hold up each item and let the group name it before it goes in the chest.

Debrief Questions

• What? ‘What was it like to go under the parachute? What did you notice?’
• So What? ‘What helped you find the treasure? What made it tricky?’
• Now What? ‘When is a time in real life when you have to find something by feel or memory, not by sight?’

Cleanup and Reset

• Return all items to their owners or to storage.
• Fold the parachute as a group.
• Return nature items to where they came from.
• 30-second floor scan for any dropped items.