|
The length of summer days is one of my
favorite reasons to enjoy this season. That extra daylight allows more
outside time which can be used as family time. The 2004 Summer Olympics are
happening next month and here are some ideas for your own backyard Olympics.
The activities are geared for gatherings of kids and adults and allow our
competitiveness to show in a creative way.
#1 In August you have 16 days of Olympics to watch on television.
This is a unique event that allows discussion about the world with a child.
-
Use your favorite
search engine to explore Olympic internet sites for things such as
a copy of
the Olympic flag or one that
shares some Olympic history.
-
The Summer Olympics
have 28 events and 37 disciplines. An event like Aquatics has the
disciplines of swimming, diving, water polo and synchronized
swimming.
-
Review all the Olympic
sports by having each discipline written individually on a slip of
paper and placed into a container.
-
Play “charades” by
secretly selecting a sport from the container and acting out the
sport for others to guess.
This site shares all the sports.
|
(Click photos to enlarge image.) |
This is adaptable for all ages and ranges of
participants and reinforces that sports are played throughout the world.
#2 Television and newspaper guides state the times and events
for Olympic viewing. Select some specific events to watch on television
together as a family and discuss the possible feelings of athletes who win
or lose. Make some backyard Olympic games to share with family and friends.
Discus Throw
Instead of using a 4 pound and 8 5/8 inch in
diameter discus, use a paper plate or plastic container top.
Share the correct form of throwing and staying inside a circle.
Have a rope or tape measure ready to see who can throw the
farthest. |
Shot Put
Instead of the 16 pound shot put, try a
cotton ball. Again, measure the distance (a little bit of math
is involved….). |
Javelin Throw
A javelin throw can be a broom handle or a straw.
Have fun being creative in developing your own unique Olympics. |
Test of
Strength
For strength testing, try soaking a sponge in
water and with one hand wring out the water by filling a pail.
Weigh the water in the pail to see who has the “strongest” hand. |
#3
Children of all ages enjoy games and if we can combine learning, the great
outdoors, and fun we have a winning combination. Scavenger hunts are great
for all ages and are easily adaptable to provide for a wide range of variety
in number of players, teams, and items to search.
-
Your basic scavenger
hunt is to provide a list of things to collect.
-
Here is a sample list
of what could be looked for:
-
Something from
outside that begins with an “R”
-
Item that is red
-
Write down 3 sounds
you hear right now
-
Find a smooth feeling item
-
Find a living
insect, bug, or worm
-
When making a scavenger
hunt list allow some creativity from a child. For example, when
stating to find a red item this encourages a child to think of
possibilities such as a red brick, a red flower, a red ball, or
other red item.
-
This list can be taped
to a bucket or sack that is already prepared with containers, paper
and pencil, and any other items. Or you can have the scavenger items
individually listed on slips of paper and drawn out of a container
and see who can find the stated item.
|
(Click photos to enlarge image.) |
- When everyone has found the object, select another
slip of paper stating an item to locate. A time limit can be placed on
the hunt if needed.
#4
Scavenger hunts can be wonderful learning tools depending on what is being
hunted. A modern day scavenger hunt can be enjoyed when using a digital
camera.
-
Age and number of
children and length of time will determine what exactly should be on
the scavenger list.
-
For example,
-
Take a picture of
item more than 3 feet long.
-
Take a picture of
two legged animal
-
Take a picture of something that makes you smile.
-
Take a picture of
something dirty.
-
Take a picture of a
tree (more specific a maple tree).
-
Using a digital camera
allows for immediate verification that the item was found without
the expense of developing the photo.
-
Creativity is
encouraged as the child determines the angle of the photo.
Scavenger hunts take some
advance planning but are able to keep a group of children actively
involved for a long time. |
(Click photos to enlarge image.) |
Let me
know by e-mail what your favorite activity was this month. I am compiling information for a resource book
and want your input. Thanks.
|
