Are you as excited as I am about the Summer Olympics? I love to watch swimming and diving and I'm in awe of these athletes!
Hosting a Summer Olympics viewing party can be a fun and engaging way to celebrate the spirit of the games with kids. Here are some creative ideas to make your party a hit:
DECORATIONS:
1. Olympic Rings Banner
- Materials: Construction paper or foam sheets in blue, yellow, black, green, and red.
- Instructions: Cut circles and link them together to form the Olympic rings. Hang them as a banner.
2. Torch Centerpieces
- Materials: Cardboard or paper cones, orange and yellow tissue paper.
- Instructions: Create the cone shape for the torch and add tissue paper at the top to represent flames.
3. Medal Garland
- Materials: Cardstock, ribbon, and gold, silver, and bronze paint.
- Instructions: Cut out circles, paint them, and attach them to ribbons. Hang the medals as garlands around the party area.
4. Flag Bunting
- Materials: Paper or fabric in various colors.
- Instructions: Cut out triangles or rectangles, paint or draw different country flags on them, and string them together to create a bunting.
5. Athlete Silhouettes
- Materials: Black construction paper or cardboard.
- Instructions: Cut out silhouettes of athletes in various sports poses and attach them to walls or windows.
6. Sport Equipment Props
- Materials: Cardboard, paint, and markers.
- Instructions: Create large cutouts of sports equipment like tennis rackets, soccer balls, and basketballs. Use them as wall decorations or photo booth props.
7. Podium Display
- Materials: Boxes, paint, and numbers.
- Instructions: Stack three boxes of different heights and paint them gold, silver, and bronze. Label them with 1, 2, and 3 to represent the winners' podium.
ACTIVITIES:
Here are some kid-friendly Summer Olympics-style games:
1. Relay Races
- Set up: Use batons or any hand-held item for kids to pass.
- Variations: Include obstacles, such as cones or hoops, to make it more challenging.
2. Long Jump
- Set up: Use a measuring tape to see who can jump the farthest.
- Markings: Use chalk or tape to mark the start and landing points.
3. Mini Soccer Tournament
- Set up: Use small goals and a lightweight ball.
- Teams: Divide kids into small teams for quick matches.
4. Water Balloon Toss
- Set up: Use water balloons for a fun and refreshing game.
- Distance: Increase the distance after each successful catch.
5. Obstacle Course
- Set up: Use cones, ropes, and hula hoops.
- Challenges: Include crawling under ropes, jumping over hurdles, and balancing on beams.
6. Tug of War
- Set up: Use a sturdy rope.
- Teams: Ensure teams are evenly matched for a fair competition.
7. Frisbee Discus Throw
- Set up: Use a frisbee and designate a throwing area.
- Distance: Measure and mark the landing spots to see who can throw the farthest.
8. Sack Race
- Set up: Use sacks or large pillowcases.
- Race: Mark a start and finish line for kids to hop towards.
9. Egg and Spoon Race
- Set up: Use spoons and plastic eggs.
- Balance: Kids race while balancing the egg on the spoon.
10. Hula Hoop Contest
- Set up: Provide hula hoops.
- Goal: See who can keep the hula hoop spinning the longest.
FOOD:
1. Medal Cookies
- Ingredients: Sugar cookies decorated with icing to resemble gold, silver, and bronze medals.
- Extras: Use edible glitter or colored sugar to add sparkle.
2. Olympic Ring Fruit Platter
- Ingredients: Arrange fruits like blueberries, pineapple, blackberries, kiwi, and strawberries to form the Olympic rings.
- Tip: Use circular cutters to shape the fruit if needed.
3. Torch Cupcakes
- Ingredients: Cupcakes topped with orange and yellow frosting to look like flames.
- Decoration: Use an ice cream cone as the torch base.
4. Sport-Themed Sandwiches
- Ingredients: Use cookie cutters to shape sandwiches into sports equipment like soccer balls, tennis rackets, or baseball bats.
- Fillings: Use kid-friendly fillings like peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese.
5. Gold Medal Smoothies
- Ingredients: Blend yellow fruits like mango, banana, and pineapple.
- Extras: Serve in clear cups with a ribbon and medal sticker.
6. Ring Pop Rings
- Ingredients: Use colorful Ring Pops as edible Olympic rings.
- Display: Arrange them in a circle on a platter.
7. Popcorn Torches
- Ingredients: Fill ice cream cones with popcorn.
- Decoration: Use red, orange, and yellow tissue paper to create a flame effect at the top of the cone.
8. Healthy Veggie Rings
- Ingredients: Arrange sliced vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, olives, and cherry tomatoes in the shape of Olympic rings.
- Dips: Provide hummus or ranch dip on the side.
