If your house has been like ours, the Olympics have been a big hit both on and off the television. Our son has been joining us in the evenings as we tune into the world competitions.
I remember as a kid the Olympics were a big deal. Four years between events is a long time for a kid. To add to the wonder, we grew up with stars like Mary Lou Retton and Kerri Strug among others in the summer Olympics. We dreamed big. We put up our posters. And we pretended we were gymnasts.
To be on the other side of those dreams watching your kid pretend is no different. We talk about the Olympics a lot: "Where are their pants (regarding the leotards)?" "What is Hungarian?" And "Why do they have masks (regarding fencing)?" And "Where is Michael Philips?" So with our globe beach ball in hand, our commercial breaks filled with somersaults and cartwheels, and our fencing costume, we have won gold medals in playing Olympics for sure.
In fact the other evening, our neighbor had her whole yard filled with Olympic track and field events for the kids. She had her tin foil shot put to toss, her straw javelins to throw, and the Frisbee disc to send through the air. We used a toilet paper roll for our relay race and long, rectangle flower pots for hurdles. We had yellow streamers for our finishers. Then we finished our evening with pop sickles before heading indoors to watch more Olympics.
Take this time to use the Olympics to your advantage for fun! Make a torch out of a paper towel roll, tin foil, and tissue paper (for the fire). Use pipe cleaners to make the rings. And by all means set up your own events. Do a simple geography lesson with a map. Dream big for the Olympics do not come often enough for young imaginations.
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