What kid doesn't love parachutes? My boys have gotten so many of those parachuting army men as party favors, I've lost count. And forget trying to untangle the strings. (Ain't nobody got time for that!) The weather may not have been on our side, but with so many rainy days this summer, eventually you just throw caution to the wind and do outdoor activities anyway. And so it was the day we made DIY parachutes. Making these was simple. We had all the supplies we needed around the house. What You Need Disposable plastic (or paper) cup Plastic garbage sack String (we used some tightly twisted yarn) Paper punch Scissors Tape Measure or yardstick How to Make It First we punched holes in the top of the plastic cups, just under the rim. You'll need to punch four holes equal distance apart (approximately). Next we cut one plastic kitchen garbage sack into a 14-inch square. Since we made two parachutes, we measured and cut the bag with it flattened (i.e. two plies) so we had two squares with only a few cuts. Now we cut four 14-inch lengths of string for each parachute. Our oldest son gathered a corner of the plastic square and tied one length of string to it, leaving only a small tail. He repeated this with the other four corners. Then we tied each string to a different hole on the cup. (TIP: Try to keep the tails all the same length so you don't get a lopsided parachute.) Now all that was left to do was to go to a high place and drop those puppies. My sons perched on the landing of our deck and later our yard's play set. They LOVED watching them gracefully float to the ground. My oldest son tucked the parachute in the cup and dropped it to see what would happen. It sank to the ground with lightning speed. That's gravity for ya! How Does a Parachute Work The cup glides slowly down thanks to something known as air resistance (or drag). When air gets under it, the plastic parachute fans out for maximum coverage; this air resistance slows the fall of the object tremendously. This great activity came from Patricia A. Staino's wonderful book Magic Moments: Super Science with Your Kids. Check it out!
For his latest novel, Kevin Kwan decided to update one of his own favorite books, A Room With a View. The result is Sex and Vanity, a fun, decadent whirl that manages to take on some serious subjects.
How to write chapter outlines or chapter summaries for your memoir book proposal, including examples of how long they should be.
Discover your next great read with our Pinterest board of must-read books. From bestsellers and classics to hidden gems across all genres, find inspiration for your reading list and join our community of book lovers. Dive into the world of literature today!
Is Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell worth a read? Will it keep you immersed from page one or is it just a waste of time? Find out in our review!
Back at again with another recap of a few audiobooks I’ve been listening to and enjoying for various reasons. Of course, I can’t just keep to one genre because of who I am as a person &…
Kathy, who listens to WETA radio in Washington, D.C., recommends this novel: "One of the best reads I've had in the last couple of years!"
The story follows a teenager trying to make sense of everything and navigating his daily life with few freedoms and a corrupt communist dictator.
Hello to my favorite internet friends! How are you guys!? I’m pretty pumped that Friday is here for one very specific yet not overly exciting reason: I have a hair appointment. What!? I haven’t had my hair done since last June and IT IS TIME. While the beauty of balayage is that it grows out... Read More »
In a celebration of the brilliant female authors of the past, we’ve collated a list of our top ten classic feminist novels.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations.
The “Nightingale” author spoke to TODAY.com and shared her personal connection to the Vietnam War era.
Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspé is by far the best health and nutrition book I’ve read. Not only does it make learning about glucose digestible but it also introduces you to mind-blowing ideas. Here’s my full book review…
Finished September 28 Ready or Not by Cara Bastone This is a romance novel with an unusual twist. As the book opens, Eve Hatch is at an ob/gyn appointment on her lunch hour, looking for confirmation of her suspected pregnancy. She's done some at-home tests, and is already pretty sure of the truth. Eve is not in a romantic relationship. A few weeks ago, when her best friend Willa's brother Shep left his long term relationship and moved in with his sister and her partner in Brooklyn, the three had a fun night out. When Willa and Shep called it a night and caught a cab home, Eva found herself still energized and went into a nearby bar, where she ended up going home with the bartender, Ethan Rise. So after she gears herself up to tell first Willa the news, and then Ethan, she must figure out how to tell her siblings, and the wider community. Eve has a job in an organization that she's always dreamed of working for, a wildlife conservation organization, but she is in administration and dreams of running her own project. When an opportunity in a different direction opens up due to her hard work, she must make a choice and figure out what she really wants there as well. She loves her small apartment that she's made exactly as she wants, but worries about whether she can fit her baby into it, especially as it grows. With all these changes opening up in her life, Eva finds Shep, her childhood friend to be there when she needs someone. He accompanies her on errands, shows up at her home with exactly the perfect things for the moment, and helps her to focus her mind on the good in what's happening. This novel is a journey of self-knowledge and self-life as well as a romance. A real page-turner.
A story that may freak you out a bit. Read the review for The Arrangement by Robyn Harding
