20 Fun Family Activity Ideas to celebrate the Olympics!
Looking for exciting and educational ways to celebrate the 2024 Summer Olympics with your family? We’ve put together a fantastic list of Olympic-themed activity ideas to get you in the Olympic spirit and make your Olympic celebrations fun and memorable!
Do also check out our Olympics Activities for Children blog to claim your FREE Olympic activity pack! And head over to Busy Things for even more of kids’ games and activities full of Olympic fun!
- DIY Olympic Torch Relay
- Discover the Olympic Events
- Design Your Own Olympic Sport
- Olympic-Themed Science Experiments
- Olympic Sports Obstacle Course
- Flags of the World Crafting
- Family Sports Day
- Create Your Own Medals
- Olympics Watch Party
- Paris Exploration Day
- Cultural Cuisine Night
- Olympic Ring Toss
- Olympic Athletes inspirational stories
- Learn About Olympic History
- Olympic-Themed Yoga
- Design an Olympic Mascot
- Olympic-Themed Scavenger Hunt
- Olympic Bingo
- Sports Skills Challenges
- Olympic Dance Party
- BONUS! FREE Olympic Activity Pack
Family Olympics Activity Ideas
1. DIY Olympic Torch Relay
Craft your own Olympic torches using cardboard tubes and tissue paper then use them in a relay around your home or garden, taking turns to carry the torch. Help children to understand the tradition and significance of the Olympic flame by learning about the origins of the Olympic torch.
2. Discover the Olympic Events
Did you know that there are 40 different Olympic sports – 32 in the Summer Olympics and 8 in the Winter Olympics, plus 22 in the Paralympics? Research these sports together and try out a few that you haven’t experienced before. This is a great way to introduce kids to new activities and appreciate the variety of sports showcased in the Games.
Find out which sports are your family’s favourite sports and make a tally using Busy Things’ interactive tool: Our favourite sports.
3. Design Your Own Olympic Sport
In 2024, the Olympics will feature new sports like breaking (street dance), surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing. We challenge you to create a new Olympic sport! What are the rules? How do you win? How is it scored? Is it a team or individual sport? What’s the goal? Get creative!
Use Busy Things’ Paint and publisher tool to record all the details of your new sport.
4. Olympic-themed Science Experiments
Turn Olympic sports into a hands-on science lesson with fun experiments! Test the aerodynamics of javelins by using different shapes and materials to see which flies the farthest. Try making discuses from frisbees or paper plates and see how different spins and throws impact their flight – you’ll be exploring the principles of rotational motion! Measure sprint times and experiment with various starting techniques to learn about speed and acceleration. What other STEM principles could you explore?
Experiment with Busy Things Suitability of materials widget!
5. Olympic Sports Obstacle Course
Create an obstacle course that mimics various Olympic sports such as hurdles, balance beams, and long jumps. This physical activity is not only fun but also provides a hands-on way to experience the challenges athletes face. Who can complete the course the fastest?
6. Flags Of The World Crafting
With Athletes from over 200 countries participating in the Olympics, you can learn about different nations through their flags. Find out what the flags of various Olympic countries look like and get crafty making them. Decorate your home or garden with these flags throughout the games!
For an added challenge, test your flag knowledge with Busy Things’ interactive Map of World Flags (Olympic edition).
7. Host a mini-Olympics / Family Sports Day!
Get everyone active and engaging in some friendly competition by organising a family sports day! Include events such as running races, long jumps, and throwing contests. Keep score and award gold, silver, and bronze medals.
8. Create Your Own Olympic Medals
Craft medals from cardboard and ribbon and hold a medal ceremony at the end of your family sports day! You could include national anthems and podiums to make it feel like a real Olympic event.
9. Watch the Olympics Together
Set aside time to watch key Olympic events together as a family, such a the opening and closing ceremony and your favourite sports. Why not pick a new sport you can discover together? Make it special by decorating your space with flags of different participating countries, wearing colours representing various nations, and preparing meals from different cultures to enjoy during the events. Discuss the sports, athletes, and countries competing, and cheer for your favourite teams.
10. Paris Exploration Day
Learn about Paris, the host city of the 2024 Olympics, through a fun exploration day! Create a mini Parisian experience at home with French-themed crafts, try making classic French dishes like crepes or baguettes, and learn about famous Parisian landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. This activity helps kids appreciate the host nation’s culture and history.
Why not learn a little French with Busy Things French Vocabuarly activities for children
11. Cultural Cuisine Night
Choose a country participating in the Olympics and cook a traditional meal from that country. Use this opportunity to explore the country’s traditions and Olympic history. This culinary adventure is a delicious way to learn about different cultures and their Olympic preparation.
12. Olympic Ring Toss
Create an Olympic ring toss game using painted rings and a target. Assign points to different areas of the target and see who can score the most points. Can you find out what the Olympic rings represent?
13. Olympic Story Inspiration
Olympic athletes have often been the subject of inspiring stories that captivate audiences and teach valuable lessons. Researching these stories together can be a great way to explore the values of perseverance, dedication, and sportsmanship. Here are a few remarkable Olympians whose stories are truly inspiring:
- Jesse Owens: Competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Owens, an African American athlete, won four gold medals in track and field. His achievements challenged Nazi racial ideologies and became a powerful symbol of racial equality and perseverance.
- Wilma Rudolph: Known as the “fastest woman in the world,” Wilma Rudolph overcame polio and poverty to win three gold medals in track and field at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Her story is one of overcoming personal adversity to achieve greatness on the global stage.
- Nadia Comăneci: At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci made history by scoring the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics. Her incredible performances and the achievement of a perfect score highlighted dedication and precision in the sport.
Encourage your family to read about these athletes and discuss what makes their stories special. What other inspiring stories can you find?
14. Learn About Olympic History
Explore together how the Olympic Games have evolved from ancient traditions to the global sporting event they are today.
Did you know? The Games began in Ancient Greece in 776 BC, featuring events like chariot racing and wrestling where winners received olive wreaths, not medals. The modern Olympics, revived in 1896, introduced gold, silver, and bronze medals and have since expanded from 13 to over 200 participating countries! What else can you find out?
Head to our blog Ideas for Learning About the 2024 Olympics
15. Olympic-themed Yoga!
Why not create a yoga session inspired by Olympic sports! You could design poses that mimic actions from various sports, like stretching for gymnastics or balancing for diving. This relaxing activity combines physical exercise with Olympic-themed creativity.
16. Design an Olympic Mascot
Olympic mascots are fun characters that represent the spirit of each Games, often reflecting the host country’s culture and values. Challenge your children to get creative and design their own mascot!
17. Olympic-Themed Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt with items related to different Olympic sports and countries. You could make the final prize an Olympic-themed treat or toy.
18. Olympic Bingo
Make bingo cards featuring different Olympic sports and athletes. As you watch the Olympics, mark off the items you see on TV or as you try them out for yourselves. The first to get bingo wins a prize!
19. Sports Skills Challenges
Set up stations for different sports skills challenges, such as shooting basketballs, scoring football goals, or hitting tennis balls. Keep track of scores and see who excels in each sport.
20. Olympic Dance Party
Have an Olympic-themed dance party with music from around the world! You could choreograph dances inspired by different Olympic sports or countries and have a family dance-off. This is brilliantly diverse activity combining movement and creativity, learning about music and rhythm, different sports and countries all at the same time!
21. BONUS Free Busy Things Olympic Activity Pack
Our FREE to download Olympic activity pack is full of games, crafts, and puzzles that celebrate the spirit of the Olympics!
Busy Things Olympic Activities
We couldn’t miss out on the Olympic fun! Busy Things includes lots of Olympic learning resources to help children get excited about the Games. Along with the Olympics Activity Pack children can play our interactive Olympic-themed activities.
If you’re a Busy Things subscriber – log in now for lots of Olympic fun!
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