When the Summer Olympic Games roll around, it’s the perfect time to get your kids excited and to bring that excitement into your backyard.
We recently held our first family olympics at the cottage and it was a total blast! The kids were a bit reluctant at first but really got into the spirit of the games by the end and and were looking forward to competing in a new sport every evening.
With a few simple setups, you can create a fantastic Olympic-inspired event that will keep your kids (and adults) active and entertained all summer long.
Why You’ll Love These Summer Olympic Games
You’ll love these summer Olympic Games because they encourage kids to be active and healthy while having a fun.
These activities are designed to be simple and fun, requiring minimal setup and materials.
They promote physical fitness, teamwork, and friendly competition, making them perfect for playdates, family gatherings, or just a fun afternoon in the backyard.
Another great reason to love these activities is that they can be easily adapted to suit different age groups and skill levels. Whether you have toddlers or older kids, you can adjust the challenges to make sure everyone has a good time.
Plus, these activities are a fantastic way to introduce kids to new sports and skills in a playful and non-competitive environment.
Summer Olympic Games for Kids
Olympic Rings Ball Toss
Olympic Ball Roll
Hurdle Run
Pool Noodle Frisbee Race
Paper Plate Balloon Tennis Game
Frisbee Bowling for Kids
Pool Noodle Javelin
Backyard Target Shooting
Olympic Torch Game
Olympic Balance Beam
Tug of War
Straw Javelin
Hula Hoop Marathon
Setting up a hula hoop marathon for kids as part of a backyard Olympics activity is both simple and fun!
Start by designating a spacious area in your backyard where the kids can freely move without obstacles. Use cones or chalk to mark a starting line and finish line. Gather several hula hoops, ideally one for each child, and line them up at the starting line.
Explain the rules: the goal is to keep the hula hoop spinning around their waists while moving from the starting line to the finish line. If the hoop falls, they need to pick it up and start spinning it again before continuing. You can add extra excitement by creating a relay race, where each child tags the next teammate after completing their leg of the race.
Backyard Obstacle Course
Scavenger Hunt for Kids – Summer Olympics
Paper Javelin Throw Activity
Sprint 100m Dash
Setting up a 100-meter sprint for kids as part of your backyard Olympics is both easy and exciting!
First, measure out a 100-meter distance in your yard or nearby park. Use a measuring tape to ensure accuracy, and mark the starting and finishing lines with bright tape or chalk. If space is limited, you can shorten the distance to fit your available area.
Next, clear the track of any obstacles to ensure safety. Create individual lanes with cones or ropes if you have multiple participants. Set up a finish line with ribbon or streamers for a fun and official touch.
Finally, explain the rules to the kids, emphasizing the importance of staying in their lanes and running safely. With everything in place, you’ll be ready for a thrilling sprint that will bring out everyone’s competitive spirit and add a dash of excitement to your backyard Olympics!
Water Balloon Volleyball
Pool Noodle Ring Toss
Crab Soccer
My Books
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
