Fun Olympic Games and Activities for Kids

Since ancient Greek, Olympic Games have been a fantastic event that brought together people and inspired them. In the current times, too, the event brings together more than 11,000 athletes from across the world. People from the participating 206 nations and other nationals eagerly await the Olympics every four years to celebrate the spirit of sports and togetherness. Olympic Games include most world sports such as soccer, discus throw, racing, basketball, baseball, softball, swimming, etc. Sports such as skateboarding, karate, and surfing making a debut in the recent Olympics have delighted young sports lovers across the globe.

The Olympics’ immense popularity makes it the most-awaited sporting event globally. Therefore, it’s no wonder that parents wish to inculcate the love of sports in their children and want them to be excited about the Olympics. However, the little ones are too young to play or understand real sporting events. They get excited about or understand things they are involved in or can do by themselves. So, to make them excited about Olympics, engage them in age-appropriate games and activities inspired by the Olympics. This will capture their imagination and curiosity to encourage them to take up sports as they grow up. 

Olympics Games Ideas for Children 

Engage your kids in games and activities based on the Olympics to give them a taste of the grand event. These activities and games will capture their imagination and make them part of the Olympic excitement. Fun sports are a great way to arouse their interest in sports and teach them fundamental sports skills. They can also play these games with their friends as teams. Here are some Olympic sports and games ideas for children:

1. Hammer Throw 

Hammer throw is one of the most enjoyable backyard Olympic games for kids. Young kids and their parents will love this kid-friendly version.

Equipment Needed:

• Small paper bags
• Rubber bands
• Strings
• Newspaper
• Measuring tape

Instructions: 

• Stuff the paper bags with newspaper sheets.
• Close the bags’ mouths with rubber bands.
• Tie a string of at least 12” length to each paper bag to make it a paper hammer.
• Each kid will hold the string of the paper bag and spin it around three times, then let go.
• The parent can measure the distance the paper hammer has traveled. 
• The kid who threw the paper hammer the farthest wins. 

2. Discus throw

Kids will love playing this game with their friends. 

Equipment Needed:

• Frisbee/foam ball
• Chalk
• Measuring tape

Instructions:

• Draw a circle with the chalk.
• Each kid will stand in the circle by turns and throw the frisbee or the foam ball.
• Measure and record the distance the Frisbee or foam ball traveled. 
• The kid with the longest distance is the winner. 

3. Hurdle race

Hurdle race is one of the perfect winter Olympics activities for preschoolers. Any open space such as a backyard, garden, or lawn is ideal for the kids to spend a few hours in the sun playing this game.

Equipment Needed

• Small boxes/pool noodles
• Cushions
• Chalk
• Stopwatch

Instructions:

• Place cushions, pool noodles, or small boxes in open space at intervals to make hurdles 
• Mark a starting and endpoint with chalk
• Ask the kids to stand at the starting point and run towards the endpoint by running at the sound of start
• Record the time taken by each kid
• The fastest kid who crosses the entire hurdle is the winner

4. Volleyball

Let the kids burn some excess energy playing this easy volleyball with their friends. 

Equipment Needed: 

• Net or rope
• Beach ball or balloons 

Instructions:

• Set up the net in the backyard or open space.
• If the net is not there, tie the rope to two ends to create a net.
• Each kid will throw the beach ball or balloon across the net.
• The winner is the kid who can throw the ball the most times across the net. 

5. Javelin Throw 

Are you looking for simple summer Olympics activities for preschoolers? This kid-size javelin throw game is ideal for small kids. 

Equipment Needed:

• Soda straws
• Tape
• Waste paper basket
• Chalk

Instructions:

• Make a javelin by taping together four soda straws.
• Mark a start line with chalk for kids to throw the straw javelin.
• Keep the basket a few feet away from the start line. 
• Each kid will stand behind the line and throw the javelin in the basket five times each.
• The kid who can throw the javelin the most times is the winner. 

6. Relay Race 

The Greeks invented the Olympics, and different races were the only sport played in ancient times. So if you are looking for ancient Greek Olympic games for kids, this simple relay race variation is ideal. 

Equipment Needed:

• Foam batons or foam balls 
• Chalk/marker
• Whistle

Instructions:

• Divide the kids into two or more teams with a minimum of two kids per team.
• Mark starting, mid, and endpoints with chalk. 
• Ask a kid from all the teams to stand at starting and midpoints. 
• Hand the foam batons or balls to kids standing at the starting point.
• When the whistle blows, the kids at starting point will start running and hand over the batons or balls to kids standing at midpoints. 
• The kids at midpoints will run towards the endpoint.
• The team whose kid reaches the endpoint first is the winner. 

7. Olympic Torch Craft 

This fun-to-make Olympic torch is one of the easiest kindergarten Olympics activities. Parents can help their kids to make this Olympic torch and let them play with it as they watch Olympics. 

Equipment Needed:

• Paper towel roll
• Aluminum foil
• Tissue papers – red, orange, and yellow
• Glue
• Stapler

Instructions:

• Flatten and staple one end of the paper towel roll.
• Apply glue on the paper towel roll’s outside and paste aluminum foil on it.
• Tuck the remaining foil in the open end of the towel roll.
• Layer the sheets of tissue paper, one on top of the other, with each paper at different angles.
• Pinch the center point of the tissue papers pile and twist them. 
• Place the twisted tissue papers pile in the open end of the towel roll to make the Olympic flame. 
• The Olympic torch is ready to be carried.

8. Basketball 

Kids will love playing this fun version of basketball with small toys. This is one of the best indoor Olympic games for kids, which can be enjoyed anytime and requires only a few items to play. 

Equipment Needed:

• Two laundry baskets/tubs
• Foam balls/small toys

Instructions:

• Divide the kids into two teams.
• Place the empty laundry baskets or tubs at the two ends of the room. 
• Place the foam balls or small toys in the center of the room.
• The two teams will pass the foam balls to other kids of their team to throw in the empty baskets/tubs.
• The team with the maximum number of balls/toys wins the game. 

9. Balance beam 

Balance beam Olympic activity is perfect for small kids who are still learning to balance. Parents can teach their small kids to walk straight using balance beams.  

Equipment Needed:

• Rope/wood plank/chalk
• Stopwatch

Instructions:

• Draw a straight line with chalk, or use rope or wooden plank to make a gymnastic/balance beam.
• Ask the kids to walk on the straight line forward and backward by turns. 
• Record their time.
• The kid who walks the fastest is the winner.

These fun games and activities are great for giving your child a taste of the Olympics and engaging them in sports. Play these games with their friends and family to have a fun-filled time to celebrate the spirit of the Olympics. 

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