While the 2020 Olympics may be postponed, now is the time to start planning your own Winik’s mini-Olympics at home with the kids!

Our team from Winik’s Kid’s Club at NIZUC recommends the following activities to cultivate an atmosphere of teamwork, physical activity and fun at home, while also helping to improve cognitive and emotional development.

• Make flags, ribbons, Olympic rings, medals and other decorations with materials you have at home or can easily and safely find at a store near you. Decorations are important; they add to the atmosphere and excitement to the event.
• Choose a Mascot – let your kids decide what sort of mascot they would like: a teddy bear, a scarecrow, a budgie or a special character created by them.
• Have fun and get creative with making paper planes and boats – the more types, sizes and colors the better!

• Create a score board with stickers and your own illustrations or decorations of choice! On this board you will write the names of all players and keep track of their wins for the final Olympics awards ceremony.

Here are some Olympics game ideas for kids ages 4-12 with simple materials you have at home: (Kids below the age of 4 can assist with the crafts and the awards ceremony)

Egg race: This game consists of each player simply running or walking fast, carrying a hardboiled egg on a spoon to a specified location. Only one hand is allowed to hold the spoon. Whoever finishes the race first with the egg still on the spoon is the winner.

Discus Throwing: Make discus out of paper plates by gluing two paper plates together and decorating them as you wish. Mark an area in your home or outside that is a few meters away from four seated participants. Throw a die to establish who starts the game. Each participant throws one or two discus (depending on skills). Each discus that lands inside the specified area a few meters away counts as one point.

Bean Bag Toss/Balloon toss: Set up five buckets in the colors of the Olympic rings (Red, blue, green, yellow and black). If you don’t have buckets in each color, you can add labels to each bucket. Give five small bean bags or balloons filled with some sugar, flour or sand (all in different colors) to each participant. Place the buckets in the middle of the two teams in a circle, a yard or two away from the participants. Each participant takes a turn at tossing each bean bag into the bucket of the same color.  The participant that scores the most bags in the buckets wins the game.

Paper Planes Game: Make colorful paper planes together – have fun decorating! Remind participants to write their names on their planes. Once the planes are ready, hold a competition to see which can fly the farthest. It’s often the simplest of games that are the most fun!

Sailing Race: Make colorful paper planes together – have fun decorating! All participants must assign names for their boats. Once the boats are ready, each participant should use a straw to blow his or her boat the farthest distance along a table or on water (in a tub or pool). The boat that goes farthest and reaches the end of the tub or pool first is the winner.

Stacking Competitions (with dominoes, Lego blocks, plastic cups etc.): Once you have your materials, each participant should build a pyramid using those items. Establish a time limit (1 to 3 minutes) for each participant to build his or her pyramid. The participant with the tallest tower within the time limit is the winner!

Balloon Race: Blow up a balloon to a size slightly smaller than a soccer ball. Place it between the knees and try to walk or run to a specified location. The participant who reaches the specified location first is the winner! Try it again with 2-3 laps to make things a bit more challenging and exciting.

Rhythmic FUNastics Competition: Each participant should perform using the best of his or her abilities with dance moves, gymnastics, ballet, etc. using with Hula Hoops, balls, rope, ribbons or any other fun materials of their preference. The judge(s) will give each participant a score of 1-10 based on their performance. We recommend putting on some fun, energetic music for this game!

End your Winik´s Olympics with a Closing Ceremony parade so the kids can show off their medals! You can even make wreaths for the athletes to put on during the Ceremony, just like the ancient Olympic athletes wore.