Were your children excited about this year’s Olympic Games? Why not host your own Olympic Games, right in your backyard?
To make it easy for you, we have prepared for you a list of everything an Olympic event might need: from an event checklist and suggested games, to printable medals.
See if your favourite activities made our list.
Start with an Olympic Games checklist
An Olympic event is a cause of celebration – so build a list of everything you need to celebrate the day with your children.
Consider:
- the activities you want to do together
- the supplies you need to play games
- snacks and sweet treats
- refreshments
Not sure what Olympic-themed games you can try? Read on to discover our suggestions:
Prepare your mascots
Every Olympic Game has its mascot – you can celebrate this year’s Olympics by asking the your children to select their own mascot, such as a favourite toy. Activities such as dressing up teddy bears using different colours can be a lot of fun.
Organise games and activities:
Backyard gymnastics
All you need to play this game is a backyard hose on the lawn. The game starts by placing it on the lawn to stand in for a balance beam. It is recommended that the children wear shoes for this event.
You then ask the children to perform a series of increasingly difficult maneuvers without straying from the hose: activities like walking backward, hopping on one foot or doing cartwheels are sure to get everyone excited.
Backyard obstacle race
This is where your children can get really creative. To play this game, you can use just about anything you have laying around the house: hoola hoops, ladders, pool noodles, string ties between trees, rope, buckets, and more.
Start filling the backyard with the obstacles and create a course for the children to follow. Then, sit back with your timer and keep track of how long it takes the children to complete the course. This will keep your children active as they are trying to go for the record!
Crab walk
For this game, all you need are agile children. Have each compete in a crab walk race, a reverse crawl walk on hands and feet with the stomach facing up. Once a child walks to a side of the yard and back again, you get to announce the winner.
Water balloon race
For this game, you need a pack of water balloons. The game is played by encouraging children to transfer balloons among each other. Whoever makes three successful balloon transfers and crosses the finish line balloon intact, wins.
Hula Hoop marathon
All you need for this game are hula hoops. You and your children can compete in a hula-hoop endurance race. Whoever keeps the hoop spinning around his or her waist longest wins.
Happy Hurdles
What you need for this game are various objects that can be used as obstacles. You can use anything from shoe boxes to pool noodles, that the children can jump over.
Encourage children to make their way through the obstacle race as fast as possible, without touching any of the obstacles.
Balloon volley ball
To play this game, all you need are some large balloons. Give each child a balloon to see who can keep it up the longest. When their balloon hits the ground, have the children sit down.
Ribbon dance
This game involves a DIY ribbon wand, which you can learn to make with your children here.
Music is a great part of the Olympics. Have the children dance, twirl and swirl on their favourite gymnastics routines. Challenge them to perform them to their favourite songs.
LEGO® DUPLO® ring toss
This game is fun to play any day. All you need are LEGO® bricks and some hair rubbers. Have children build towers out of the bricks. Then, add numbers on each tower and challenge children to toss the hair rubbers over each tower to earn points.
Straw Javelin Throw
Simple ideas are almost always fun. For the Javelin Throw, all you need are drinking straws, five paper plates, a cardboard panel and some colourful stickers.
Use the paper plates to set up a point system. Give 5 points for the closest bowl, 10 points for the next and so on until you reach 25. Challenge children to launch the straws into the air and see who can get the straw the furthest.
Medals and the Awards Ceremony
Of course, no Olympic Games can be complete without awarding medals and a closing ceremony. There are many ways you can make your own Olympic medals, but if you don’t have time, check out this printable version here.
Don’t forget to reward all children for their efforts.
The Olympic Games are a great opportunity for family and friends to come closer together. Organising your own Olympics in your backyard allows your children to play, work together and be active.
Find out what other games you can enjoy with your children at your nearest Playgroup. Contact us on 1800 171 882.
