Child Care Olympics

Celebrate the Olympic games with the children. It is easy to plan a special day or event that focuses on the spirit of unity and sportsmanship the games symbolize. With some creativity, planning a child care Olympic event is simple.

Hold Preschool Olympics

Opening Ceremonies

• Make an Olympic torch. Have children take turns passing it and pretending to light the main flame.
• You can start the ceremonies with a grand parade. Each child can carry a different flag. You can duplicate flags from selected countries, or encourage the children to create one of their own.
• With older children you may wish to discuss the representation of the many countries. There are many maps available online for study.

Let the Games Begin!

• Some of the traditional games can be easily modified for young children. You may wish to focus on children accomplishing a personal best rather than winning and losing.
  • Use a pie plate or a Frisbee for a discus
  • Use a tennis ball for the shot put
  • Make mini-hurdles from cereal boxes
  • Use straws for a Javelin throw
  • A nice wooden floor makes a great skating rink for those in stocking feet
  • Play an online fiqure skating game

Awards and Closing Ceremonies

Everyone can be winner in these games!

• Children can decorate boxes to serve as podiums.
• Make medals for all the winners to wear.
• Sing some songs that celebrate world unity.
  • It's a Small World
  • We Are the World

Olympics Art Activities

Olympic Torches
Give children paper towel rolls, tissue paper or streamers (red, yellow, and orange), paint, and glue or tape. Let children use the materials to create their own torch.

Paint Olympic Rings
Have 5 paper plates with each color of paint in the Olympic rings (red, green, black, blue, and yellow). Have children dip the open end of a plastic cup into each color of pain paint, then print the paint ring on a piece of white paper in the same formation as the Olympic rings.

Tissue Paper Mural
Cut out 5 large cardboard rings. Have children glue appropriate colored tissue paper to each ring. When dry, interlock the rings and hang on the wall.

Olympics Math Activities

Olympic Torches
Make a bar graph of the countries that win gold medals to see which country wins the most. Each day during circle time, discuss the countries that won the night before.

Olympic Patterns
Give children M&M's in the color of the Olympic Rings. Sort and count by color, as well as finish patterns with our M&M Math Sheet.

Olympics Printables

Color by Number Olympic Rings
Olymic Games Coloring Page
Coloring Page: Olympic Torch