Are you looking for ways to share the history of The Olympics for kids in your family? As the postponed Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 approach, it’s time to break out some Olympiad-themed activities everyone in the family can enjoy.
The ancient Olympics date back to 776 BC when the event took place to honor Zeus, the king of Gods. The Games were later banned in 394 AD because the Christian Emperor considered it a pagan festival. The Olympics had their modern reboot in 1894 and today enjoy a global audience of approximately 3.2 billion people.
The history of The Olympics for kids
Olympic crafts for all ages
If you’re looking for fun kids activity ideas to help bring The Olympics to life for your child, the following art projects, Olympics crafts, and hands-on activities are a great way to introduce both the history of The Olympics to kids and encourage them to delve further into learning about the modern Olympics. There’s even a way to recreate the Olympics at home!
6. Have your own DIY Olympics in your backyard.
Get the kids outside for some fresh air while also getting them into the Olympic spirit. With just a few props and a little imagination, your aspiring Olympians can have a little friendly competition. CafeMom has a some great ideas for your DIY Games, from fencing with pool noodles, to golf with fly swatters.
7. Paint an Ancient Greek drinking vessel.
Kids in the upper elementary grades and older may enjoy painting an oinochoai from Art in History. The ceramic kit comes with supplies that allow kids to create their own drinking vessel replica based on the type of pottery that would have been used in Greece from 900- 700 BC.
8. Create a chalk pastel drawing of The Olympic Torch.
Chalk pastels are a fun medium for kids in second grade and beyond. Because the chalk does get everywhere, this would be a great outdoor kids activity. This fun chalk pastel tutorial from You Are an Artist teaches kids how to draw an Olympic torch.
9. Recreate the Olympic Rings with Origami.
Tweens will enjoy this step-by-step online tutorial from Jenny W. Chan of an Origami Tree. The video demonstrates how to make the 5 interlocking Olympics rings with origami paper. This is perfect for a rainy day indoor kids activity for a variety of ages.
10. Download and print the Tokyo 2020 Mascots Miraitowa and Someity.
These fun Manga-style mascots can be found in coloring page and papercraft form on the official Olympics website.
11. These Olympic Torch ice cream cone cupcakes are a fun craft you can eat.
Preschoolers will love helping to mix and pour to create these fun Olympic torch treats. What’s great is that they’re portable, as the batter bakes in a cake cone to represent a torch.
