Backyard Olympic Games for Kids

Watching the Olympic games is awe-inspiring—at any age! The amazing skill, focused dedication, and exceptional teamwork are incredible to see in action, no matter the sport. These athletes are at the top of their game, but they all had to start somewhere, right? It’s a stunning career achievement that was likely born in the backyard while playing hard and dreaming big. As we gear up for the summer games, we’ve got some Olympic-inspired ideas for you to create your own events at home!

1. Outdoor Tic-Tac-Toe. Draw a tic-tac-toe board on the pavement with chalk. Then try playing with frisbees or painted rocks!
2. Egg on a Spoon Race. Put your balancing skills to the test and see if you can make it from start to finish without making a mess. You could even try this one with a relay-race approach encouraging teammates to carefully hand off the egg at selected points in between.
3. Painted Tin Can Bowling. Upcycle your canned goods and paint them in fun colors. Then use any ball to knock them over.
4. Bean Bag Toss. Use any basket, bucket, or bowl as a target.
5. Twister. Bring your indoor game outside or use spray paint to create colored circles on the grass.
6. Pillowcase Potato Sack Race. Reuse old pillowcases and allow your kids to decorate them before a friendly race. They’re sure to have a hopping good time!
7. Balance Beam. Paint an even stripe on a flat section of lawn to create a “balance beam.” Complete various maneuvers without straying from the line like walking forward, walking backward, hopping, or even cartwheels for a more advanced option. 
8. Crab-Walk Race. A reverse crawl from one side of the yard to the other.
9. Water Balloon Race. Transfer as many water balloons from one bucket to another on opposite sides of the yard in 60 seconds. It doesn’t count as a point if they break, so be careful!
10. Pool Noodle Javelin. Mark a start line and various distances on the ground. Then, see who can throw his or her pool noodle the farthest.