Hey kids! Ever wish you could be in the Olympics? Well, guess what? You can have your very own Olympics right in your backyard! We will show you how to turn your yard into a super fun place with cool games and silly races. Get ready to run, jump, and laugh with your whole family as you become backyard champions!
Get Ready for Your Awesome Backyard Olympics!
1. Check Out Your Yard:
Look around your backyard. Where can you run? Jump? Throw things safely? Make sure there’s nothing in the way that could trip you up!
2. Gather Your Gear:
You’ll need:
– Chalk or rope to make lines
– A timer (or ask a grown-up to use their phone)
– A whistle if you want to feel like a real referee
– Band-aids and stuff for boo-boos (just in case!)
– Lots of water and yummy snacks
3. Who’s Playing?:
Is it just you and your friends? Or are Mom and Dad joining in? Knowing who’s playing helps you to pick the best games!
4. Choose Your Games:
Pick about 5 fun games. Mix it up with running, throwing, and silly stuff too!
5. Make a Plan:
Decide which game you’ll play first, second, and so on. Remember to add breaks for snacks and water!
6. Watch the Sky:
If it looks like rain, have some indoor game ideas ready. The Olympics are fun inside too!
7. Points or Just Fun?:
Decide if you want to keep score or just play for laughs.
Remember, Backyard Olympics are all about having a blast with your family and friends. Are you ready to go for the gold in your own backyard?
Games
Frozen Toe Marble Race
You need:
- A big bowl or bucket
- Water
- Ice cubes
- Marbles
- Towels
- Empty cups (one per player)
How to play:
- Fill the big bowl with water and lots of ice cubes.
- Drop some marbles into the icy water.
- Each player gets an empty cup and sits around the bowl.
- When someone yells “Go!”, use only your toes to grab marbles.
- Put the marbles you grab with your toes into your cup.
- The player with the most marbles after 2 minutes wins!
Remember:
- It’s really cold! Take breaks if your feet get too chilly.
- Dry your feet with a towel when you’re done.
- No hands allowed – only toes!
Are you brave enough to stick your toes in the icy water? Let’s see who has the strongest toes!
Frozen T-Shirt Race
What you need:
- One T-shirt per player
- Water
- Freezer
- A sunny day or warm space
How to play:
- The night before, soak each T-shirt in water.
- Fold or roll the wet shirts and put them in the freezer overnight.
- On race day, give each player a frozen T-shirt.
- When someone yells “Go!”, start trying to unfold and put on your frozen shirt!
- You can do anything to warm up the shirt – sit on it, rub it on the ground, or stretch it.
- The first person to completely put on their T-shirt and zip or button it (if it has a zipper or buttons) wins!
Remember:
- It’s going to be cold! Prepare for a chilly challenge.
- Be careful not to rip the shirt as you unfold it.
- It’s okay to laugh – you’ll look pretty silly!
Are you ready to battle the frozen fashion? May the warmest hands win!
Slippery Treasure Hunt
What you need:
- A kiddie pool or large container
- Water and bubble bath or dish soap
- Medium to large objects that sink (like plastic toys, coins, or smooth rocks)
- Towels
How to play:
- Fill the pool with water and add some bubble bath or dish soap to make it slippery.
- Ask a grown-up to drop the objects into the soapy water.
- Take off your shoes and socks. Roll up your pants if you need to.
- When someone says “Go!”, start searching for treasures with your feet!
- You can only use your feet to find the objects – no hands allowed! If an object is too big for your toes, try to push it to the edge of the pool with your foot.
- Once you’ve moved an object to the edge, carefully step on it and slide it out of the pool. Be careful not to slip!
- The player who finds the most objects in 3 minutes wins!
Remember:
- Be careful – the water is slippery!
- It’s okay to laugh if you drop something – it’s tricky!
- Have towels ready to dry off when you’re done.
Are you ready to go treasure hunting with your toes? Let’s see who has the cleverest feet!
Spray Bottle Ping Pong Race
What you need:
- Plastic cups (one per player)
- Ping-pong balls (one per player)
- Spray bottles filled with water (one per player)
How to play:
- Give each player a cup, a ping pong ball, and a spray bottle.
- Put the ping pong ball in your cup.
- Place the cups on a flat surface, like a table or the ground.
- When someone yells “Go!”, start spraying water at your ping pong ball.
- You can only use your spray bottle to move the ball – no touching!
- Try to make your ball float to the top of the cup.
- The first player whose ball reaches the top of their cup wins!
Remember:
- Aim carefully – it’s trickier than it looks!
- It’s okay to get a little wet, that’s part of the fun!
- Ask a grown-up to help fill the spray bottles.
Are you ready to test your spraying skills? On your marks, get set, spray!
Splashy Obstacle Sprint
What you need:
- A sprinkler
- Various obstacles (hula hoops, jump ropes, cones, etc.)
- Timer
How to set up:
- Ask a grown-up to set up the sprinkler in an open area.
- Create an obstacle course around the sprinkler using your items.
How to play:
- Line up at the starting point.
- When someone yells “Go!”, the first player starts the course.
- Run through the sprinkler and complete each obstacle:
- Hop through hula hoops
- Jump over ropes
- Zig-zag around cones
- And whatever else you’ve set up!
- Each time you pass the sprinkler, you must run through it!
- Finish the course and tag the next player to start.
- Keep going until everyone has had a turn.
- The fastest time wins, but everyone gets wet and has fun!
Remember:
- Be careful on wet grass – it can be slippery!
- Wear clothes and shoes that can get wet.
- Have towels ready for when you finish.
Are you ready to get splashed and dashed? On your marks, get set, SPLASH!
Water Balloon Volley
What you need:
- Water balloons
- A long rope or string
- Two teams
How to set up:
- Tie the rope between two trees or poles to make a volleyball-style net.
- Fill up lots of water balloons.
How to play:
- Split into two teams, one on each side of the rope.
- Give each team a water balloon to start.
- When someone yells “Go!”, teams try to toss their water balloon over the rope to the other side.
- The receiving team tries to catch the balloon without popping it.
- If you catch it, quickly toss it back. If it pops, grab a new balloon and keep playing!
- Keep count of how many times your team successfully passes a balloon without it popping.
- Play for 5 minutes. The team with the most successful passes wins!
Remember:
- Be gentle when catching – water balloons pop easily!
- It’s okay to get wet – that’s the fun part!
- Have a grown-up ready to help clean up popped balloons.
Are you ready for some splashy volleyball fun? Let’s see which team can keep their cool under water pressure!
How to Keep Score
Want to make your Backyard Olympics even more exciting? Try keeping score! Here’s a fun and easy way to do it:
- Gold, Silver, Bronze: For each game, give 3 points for first place, 2 for second, and 1 for third.
- Everyone’s a Winner: Give everyone 1 point for participating in each event. This way, just joining in is rewarded!
- Team or Individual: Decide if you’re competing individually or in teams. Teams can be fun for families!
- Scoreboard: Make a big scoreboard on a poster or chalkboard. Kids love seeing their points add up!
- Special Awards: Create funny awards like “Most Enthusiastic Athlete” or “Best Victory Dance” so everyone feels special.
Remember, the most important thing is having fun. If keeping score doesn’t feel right for your group, playing just for the joy of it is okay!
Making Your Own Medals
What You’ll Need:
- Cardboard or thick paper
- Scissors (ask a grown-up for help!)
- Colored markers or paint
- Glitter (optional)
- Ribbon or string
- Glue
How to Make Medals:
- Cut circles from cardboard (about the size of your palm)
- Decorate them with gold, silver, and bronze colors
- Write “1st”, “2nd”, and “3rd” on them
- Punch a small hole at the top
- Thread ribbon through the hole to make a necklace
Make Your Backyard Feel Like the Real Olympics!
Hey there, Olympic superstars! Want to make your backyard games feel extra special? Try these cool ideas:
- Opening Ceremony Parade
- Dress up in your team colors
- Make flags for each team
- March around the yard waving your flags
- Play some upbeat music
- Olympic Torch
- Use a flashlight or a paper towel roll painted gold
- Pass the “torch” from person to person
- Light a candle (with a grown-up’s help) to start the games
- Medal Ceremony
- Make your own medals with cardboard and ribbons
- Stand on different height boxes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place
- Play pretend national anthems (hum your favorite songs!)
- Olympic Rings
- Draw the Olympic rings with chalk on the driveway
- Or make them with hula hoops on the grass
- Athlete Oaths
- Promise to play fair and have fun
- Say it loud and proud before you start
- Closing Ceremony Dance Party
- Celebrate everyone’s hard work
- Dance to your favorite songs
Remember, you’re all champions for playing and having fun together!
Which idea do you like best? Get ready to feel like a real Olympian in your backyard!
Family Activities 