Host Olympics at Home
Even though the Olympics are canceled for 2020, your family won’t have to do without competing in sporting events this summer if you play your own backyard Olympics instead. You don’t have to be able to do a circular jump backward or risk letting your kids throw a spear to do it – just have fun coming up with creative activities, use your phone as a timer, and grab a piece of paper to save it. check.
Host an opening / closing ceremony
The spectacle of the Olympic Games is not only the games themselves, but also the opening and closing ceremonies, so be sure to include them in your home competition. Get the kids involved and create your own flags, medals and torches.
Have each participant choose which country or mascot they want to represent. Choosing a real country is great – and, of course, it can open doors for additional educational opportunities – but they can absolutely be imagined (I myself am partial to competitions on behalf of Narnia and Hogwarts).
Also, just like in the real Olympics, you can stretch your workout over several days. Have an opening ceremony one day and a closing ceremony the next. Pick a weekend competition so everyone can join in the fun.
Plan a varied action plan
You will want to program home Olympics with a varied range of activities, and they don’t have to be athletic in nature (in fact, the dumber and more creative you get, the better). You can come up with your own or include existing games – it’s all up to you. Depending on the age of all participants, the games can range from simple to semi-complex:
- Compete to see who drinks a large glass of water faster using a straw. Or arrange a food contest.
- Using the largest floor space in the room, see who can jump the farthest by marking each person’s jump with tape.
- Conduct a scavenger hunt to find out who can find all the items the fastest. If your children are of different ages or ability levels, you can allow them to do this in teams.
- See who can get from the back of the house to the front door the fastest – blindfolded and guided by a partner.
- Make paper planes and measure which one flies the farthest.
- If you have a pool, host your own swimming competition.
The options are endless, and setting up doesn’t require complicated work – just have a great time with your family together.
Every winner
Athletes train their whole lives to compete for a medal and represent their country in the real Olympics. At home Olympics, everyone is a winner. Don’t let your kids’ competitive nature get the better of them. Find a way to keep the competition light and make sure everyone gets a medal in the end. The real prize is getting everyone to get up, move, and hopefully laugh together.