Uncategorized

Five Ways to Teach Your Children About The Olympics

The other day one of my followers asked on Twitter for some ideas on how to teach her children about the Olympics. I started to tweet her a pile of thoughts on this topic, but then realized I had several thoughts and most of these tips are ones we have done before, so hopefully your kids will find one or two they like also.
With less than two weeks left to go before the Olympics London 2012 start, you have plenty of time to get these ideas together and plan some fun while learning as well. The London Olympics run from July 27th to August 12th.
1. Olympic books. Mary Pope Osborne has multiple Olympic books out. Read them with your children and they will learn some great facts while enjoying a good story as well. My children always loved the Magic Treehouse series. We may pick this up again to read. It contains relevant historical details in bite -sized age appropriate chunks. 
2. Scrapbooks. Get them each a dollar store scrapbook and the daily newspaper. Have them clip the stories leading upto the event and then they can clip their favorite athletes and catalogue them. In 2010 my oldest girl was very into the Olympics and she was very consumed by the clipping of articles and creation of her own scrapbook. She still has it and reads it often. There are inspiring stories there. (You can do your own on Pinterest. Follow me there if you wish.. pinterest.com/inkscrblr

3. A backyard Olympics theme or obstacle course. Get some dollar store ribbons and set up chairs and a pile of obstacles in your yard. Invite all the kids in the neighbourhood and stage your own Olympics. Make some torches with tinfoil and red tissue paper. You can do races. Even make your own three legged race with paper lawn waste bags
4. Research some of the athletes conmpeting for your country. Library or museum visit. This can also be done on line. The stories about the athletes can be very inspirational to children. ( A lot of local children’s museums do displays on Olympics and Olympians leading upto the Olympics)
5. Make some decorative Olympic flags with the Olympic circles. Talk about geography and what each circle represents. I like Activity Village for Olympic crafts. http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/summer_olympics.htm

Mom of two beautiful active girls, traveller, fitness junkie, social media consultant, and keeper of the sanity.

6 Comments