Garden Olympics for kids

With 2024 being an Olympic year, being held in Paris, France, we thought about creating a garden Olympics for all those Raring2go! kids out there…

Its a fun and engaging way to get them active and enjoying the outdoors. Here are ten ideas to help you set up your own garden Olympics:

1. Obstacle Course:Set up a course with various obstacles like cones, tunnels, hula hoops, and pool noodles. Kids can run, jump, crawl, and weave through the course. Time each participant to see who completes it the fastest.
2. Sack Race:Provide each child with a pillowcase and have them hop from the starting line to the finish line. Make it more interesting by adding small obstacles they have to navigate around.
3. Water Balloon Toss:Pair the kids up and give each pair a water balloon. Have them stand a short distance apart and toss the balloon to each other, taking a step back after each successful catch. The last pair with an unbroken balloon wins.
4. Egg and Spoon Race:Give each child a spoon and an egg (hard-boiled or plastic). They must race to the finish line without dropping their egg. To make it harder, create a zigzag path or add small hurdles.
5. Three-Legged Race:Pair up the kids and tie one of each child’s legs together. They have to work together to run to the finish line without falling.
6. Long Jump:Mark a starting line and see how far each child can jump. Use a measuring tape to record the distances and award medals for the longest jumps.
7. Mini Golf:Set up a mini golf course using household items like cups for holes and books or blocks for obstacles. Each child gets a turn to putt and the lowest score wins.
8. Bean Bag Toss:Create targets of different sizes and assign points to each. Kids take turns throwing bean bags and trying to score the most points by hitting the targets.
9. Frisbee Throw:Set up a series of hoops or targets at different distances. Each child gets to throw a frisbee and see who can get it through the most targets.
10. Tug of War:Divide the kids into two teams and have a classic tug of war match. Use a sturdy rope and mark the centre point. The team that pulls the other across the line wins.

Additional Tips:

• Opening and Closing Ceremonies: Start with a parade of participants and an “Olympic torch” (a torch wrapped in orange and red paper) to kick off the games. End with a medal ceremony, awarding homemade medals or certificates.
• Themes and Costumes: Encourage kids to dress up in sports attire or even as their favourite athletes.
• Scoreboard: Keep a scoreboard to track points or times. This adds a fun competitive element.
• Healthy Snacks: Provide healthy snacks and drinks to keep the kids energised and hydrated throughout the games.
• Safety: Ensure all activities are safe and age-appropriate. Have a first aid kit handy for any minor injuries.

   

  With these ideas, your garden Olympics will be a memorable and fun-filled event for the kids!