Mini-Olympics!!!!

I can't get enough of the summer Olympics! I wish I could watch all of it, but I sadly there isn't enough time in the day.

Kids of all ages love to compete and be active... so I decided to put together a mini-Olympics using activities from around the web, other blogs, pinterest, and ones I came up with! These activities can be used in a classroom or for an Olympics party. I love how the Olympics teach kids to cooperate, work together, have fun, and be understanding of each other.

Opening Ceremonies:
- Design your own flag (either individually or teams): Fold a sheet of white construction paper into fours, cut out one of the rectangles, roll up the side with two rectangles to make the flag pole, tape to keep flag together. Let kids design their own flag to wave during the opening ceremonies.

- Paper Torch: Take a sheet of white construction paper and form a cone, tape cone, place pieces of yellow, red, and orange tissue paper to create the flames.

Picture and Idea from Kaboose 

- Parade: Allow kids to parade around with their flags and have a few kids carry in their torches

Individual Events:
- Paper Plate Discus Throw: staple together two paper plates to create a discus, allow kids to toss the discus, see who can toss it the farthest

- Straw Javelin Throw: place three straws together to form a mini-Javelin, let kids throw the Javelin to see who throws it the farthest

- Hula Hoop: count how many times kids can hula hoop before it drops

- High Jump: get a yard stick and see how high kids can jump

- Long Jump: measure how far can the kids jump

- High Dive: give kids straws or pens, see how many they can drop into a bottle when standing on a chair

- Shot Put: Use either a bean bag or small ball as a shot put, make sure to show kids how to properly push the shot put, how far can they get it to go?

- Running: set up a short and long course, put kids in heats- Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals, and Finals

Group Events:
- Hula hoop challenge: split your kids into two groups, have them line up and hold the hands of their neighbors, challenge the kids to get the hula hoop from one end of the line to the other without letting go of each others' hands
- Running Relays: create groups of four, use a relay stick (or a rolled up newspaper), have kids each run a leg of the race

- Soccer Games: Put together a tournament with 4 vs. 4 games

- IM Relay: split kids into groups of four, each kid will have a different leg of the race- 1) Crab walk 2) Backwards run 3) Frog hopping 4) Sprint

- Beach Volleyball: have two teams of kids sit on the floor facing each other with legs touching the person in front of them (works well with 6 on each team with three rows of two), use a balloon or a beach ball for the volleyball

Medals:
- Edible Medals: made from Golden Oreos, Twizzlers (the original idea uses Fruit by the Foot- but I went for the cheap option of pull apart Twizzlers), and Frosting- so easy and so delicious

Picture and Idea from Mirabelle Creations

- Set up three different sized boxes so you can have your own award ceremony, make sure to play the national anthem and award medals to your winners (I like to have awards for all participants!)

What other fun Olympic activities do you use in your classroom?

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you are enjoying the Olympics as much as I am!