This is a fun project a child can make from a simple kit. It's fairly easy to put together and well within budget if you’re making more than one. All the supplies are available at any home improvement store.

Needed:
common pliers
screw driver
wire
shopping bag
nylon cord
duct tape

Step 1: Make the Wire Paratrooper

I was surprised by how much excitement this little wire paratrooper got. Apparently being able to pose it is a big plus for kids. A good feature about the hands is that when the man gets tangled up in the risers, you can easily remove the cord for an easy untangling.

Start by wrapping a section of wire twice around a socket. Bend the free ends at 90 degrees at the same point in the loop. With the loop on the socket, twist the ends a couple times as shown.

Next straiten one of the ends directly away from the head while bending the other one perpendicular for an arm. Grab another piece of wire and put a 90-degree bend in it.

Place the bent wire right up to where the other arm is. Use vice grips to hold it in place. With another pair of pliers twist in the body. Check out the pictures.

Now all that’s left is to shape the hands and feet. The feet and formed over the jaws of the pliers while the hands are wrapped 3 times around a screwdriver.

File off any sharp edges for safety’s sake.

Step 2: Prepare the Parachute

For the parachute take a plastic shopping bag and lay it flat. Fold the bag in half long ways two times. Next fold the bag in half to find the middle. Use a pair of scissors to cut the bag in half. You should end up with one half of the bag as a parachute and the other as a high fashion tank top.

Step 3: Attach the Risers

The risers are just as long as the parachute. Cut one piece of cord so that it’s double the length of the chute. You’ll need one for each hand.

Duct tape works very well for attaching the risers. For an easy take on small duct tape pieces check this out.

Use the tape to attach the risers to each corner. Flip the bag over and attach it the same way on that side as well. During this step you can thread the risers through the coiled hands or you can do it after the fact.

Step 4: Outboard Personel Stand Up!

To throw the parachute man scrunch up the bag long ways, fold it in half twice, and loosely wrap the risers once around the chute. You could also just through it from the top of a high place (adult supervision required=). When it's not in use place it in a sandwich bag.

Thanks for reading.