Cut out a 12-by-12-inch square from the piece of fabric using a pair of scissors. If you have enough fabric, you can also make a larger parachute; just cut it into a square shape.
Cut four 12-inch strips of string using a knife. Use the end of the knife to carefully make four small holes, about 1/4 inch in from each corner, near the four corners of the fabric.
Thread the ends of the four pieces of string through the holes in the fabric using your fingers. Tie a knot in each strip of string to hold the string firmly onto the fabric.
Make four holes near the top of the small plastic container using a sharp object such as a nail or skewer. If the container is circular, make the holes equidistant from each other. If the container is square or rectangular, make the holes as close to each corner as possible.
Thread the opposite ends of the four strips of string through the holes in the container using your fingers. Don’t tangle the strings. Tie knots so the string is attached to the container.
Hold the center of the fabric using your hand; then hold it up high. Let go of the fabric and watch the parachute gently fall. Experiment by putting different objects in the container. The heavier the item, the faster the parachute falls, as the gravitational pull is greater than the air pressure. A larger parachute will fall more slowly because it catches more air.