Best Summer Olympics Activities for Kids + a FREE Printable Challenge
Just so you know, this post contains affiliate links. That means if you use them to make a purchase, I may earn a commission. You can read my full affiliate disclosure HERE.
The Summer Games are finally here! Are you looking for summer Olympics activities for kids that you can enjoy while watching the events? Check out this post for some top choices your kids will love.
Just thinking about the Summer Olympics brings back a ton of great childhood memories. As a kid, I was inspired to become a gymnast while watching the Olympics, which led to almost 10 years in the sport. A few moments of watching the events on our television made a huge impact on me.
One of the highlights of my childhood was being able to meet Dominique Moceanu at an event, and getting a signed copy of her biography. Needless to say, I’m excited that even though we had to wait an extra year, it’s finally time.
Not only am I excited to watch all of the amazing athletes compete, you KNOW that as a homeschool mama I’m thinking of how I can make this a learning opportunity. And I’m in luck; the Summer Games lend themselves pretty easily to some great lessons in math, reading, history, and more.
Before I dive into (no pun intended) some of my favorite resources, I want to share a fun printable I created to encourage summer reading with a little Olympics theme.
Complete the Summer Olympics Reading Challenge
It’s easy! Simply grab the free printable below, complete the reading activities in the squares and get a tic-tac-toe (3 in a row) to win the challenge.
Each reading task has a theme based on an event in the Summer Olympics, so it will be sure to get your kids in the spirit. And hey, why not get the entire family involved for a little friendly competition?
1 tic-tac toe gets your kids the bronze, 2 tic-tac toes wins the silver, and they’ll bring home the gold when they complete the entire board. (Medals not included – it’s up to you to come up with a fun prize!).
Reading Tasks Include:
- Artistic Gymnastics – Read a picture book
- Marathon – Read a book for 1 hour straight
- Weight Lifting – Read a book with more than 200 pages
- Olympics Coach – Read a book to someone else
- Synchronized Swimming – Read the same book as a friend
- Relay – Read 2 books from the same series
- Sprinting – Read a collection of short stories
- Triathlon – Read 3 books by the same author
- Modern Pentathlon – Read 5 ebooks or audiobooks
Feel free to print off a few copies of the challenge for friends (or send them the link via the sharing buttons on this post).
>>> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE SUMMER GAMES READING CHALLENGE <<<
I’ve also got a fabulous list of more Summer Olympics activities for kids from some of my favorite homeschool blogger friends. There’s unit studies, book lists, crafts, and even music lessons…you’re sure to find something to help encourage learning during the Summer Olympics.
Summer Olympics Unit Studies
We love using unit studies to incorporate multiple subjects and activities under one theme. Here are a couple of Summer Olympics Unit Studies that I think everyone should check out!
Techie Homeschool Mom has an Online Unit Study specifically for the Summer Olympics. Your kids will learn all about the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan with an engaging, web-based unit study. Preview the unit study here!
This unit study will be perfect for your kids that can read and navigate the Internet on their own, but younger children can participate with assistance.
Another option for a great unit study is this one from Katie at the WOLFe Pack. Her unit studies include books to read, writing prompts, crafts, snacks, and more. If you love having printables to go along with your unit studies, Katie has you covered with her free printable pack.
Other Summer Olympics Activities for Kids
- Sarah at Homeschooling 4 Him has a great Summer Games Hands on Activity Pack for your younger kids. They’ll have so much fun, they won’t even know they’re learning!
- Olympic Rings doughnuts? Count me in! Check out this post from Kerry at How to Homeschool My Child to see how to make them.
- Gena of Music in Our Homeschool offers a great 15-minute music lesson freebie: Music of the Olympics. She also shares 10+ ways to prepare your kids for the Olympics at I Choose Joy.
- Grab this gold medal Olympics book list from Amy at Humility and Doxology.
- Your little artists will love trying this Olympic ring art! Check out this post from Heather at Cultivated Learning. She also shares some favorite books and movies to get into the Olympic spirit.
- Host your own bean bag and balloon Olympics (if balloons are involved, I know my kids are going to love the activity!). Here’s how.
- If you love lapbooks, Ami from Homeschool Share has an Olympic Lapbook Lesson and free printables on her blog here. Just print and go!
- Grab this Summer Olympics Bingo from FundaFunda Academy and keep your eyes and ears open for things you might hear or see during the Olympics. It’s a fun way to learn about the athletes, the different countries’ flags, and other geography skills.
Any of these activities would be great additions to your Summer Olympics activities or unit studies. Have fun learning and experiencing the Olympics with your kids!
I’d love to hear from you in the comments below: are your kids up for the Summer Olympics Reading Challenge? What do you love most about the Summer Olympics?
Related Posts
- A Fun Way to Make Reading Exciting for Your Kids
- Picture Perfect Fun & Learning: Great Picture Books for Your Homeschool
- How to Slow the Summer Slide: 5 Simple Suggestions
