Olympics Fitness Party for Preschoolers

by Kelly Pfeiffer

Plan a fitness party around the Olympics Opening Ceremonies and Sporting Events. Preschoolers will get plenty of exercise as they participate in pretend play about the Olympic ceremonies and participate in Olympic type physical activities. This Olympic fitness party includes Opening Ceremonies, sporting events and medal ceremonies. Give preschoolers an Olympic experience with this physical fitness party based on the Olympic Games.

Opening Ceremonies Parade at an Olympics Fitness Party

What You Need:

Music: Any music will do, but music from the Olympic Games adds extra meaning. See the "Resources" section at the end of this article for links to Olympic Games music.

Flags of Different Countries: Purchase, make or print out flags representing different countries. To make flags at home, use straws, chopsticks or dowel rods as flagpoles. You can even get preschoolers involved in the making or coloring of the flags if you like.

Hats: Make simple paper hats. Let preschoolers decorate their hats anyway they like and wear them during the Olympics Opening Ceremonies Parade.

Microphone or Karaoke Machine (optional): Use a microphone or karaoke machine microphone to announce the opening ceremonies and talk about each country as preschoolers walk in an Olympics Opening Ceremonies Parade.

Video Camera (optional): Preschoolers will be more serious about the Olympics Opening Ceremonies if you video it and promise to show the video later during the party. Preschoolers will also remember more about the Olympics Opening Ceremonies if they get to both pretend to be part of the ceremonies and then watch themselves in the parade.

What to Do:
After preschoolers have made their Olympics Opening Ceremony flags and hats, ask preschoolers to parade around in a line and wave their flags and wave to the audience. Model your parade after the Opening Ceremonies Parade at the Olympics.

Olympics Event Preschool Style at an Olympics Fitness Party

Try a few or all of the ideas below or make up your own versions of Olympic Events.

Rhythmic Gymnastics – Give each preschooler a four foot length of crepe paper streamer. Play music while preschoolers explore and try out rhythmic gymnastics. View a ribbon dancer and other rhythmic gymnastics videos on Youtube.com.

Balance Beam – For indoors, tape a balance beam on the floor with tape. For outdoors, use sidewalk chalk to draw a balance beam on hard surfaces or lay out a plank of wood over grass or dirt surfaces.

Volleyball – Use an inflatable beach ball to let preschoolers explore hitting the beach ball over a string hung between two trees.

Long Jump – Mark a line on the ground with either sidewalk chalk or a rope. Allow preschoolers to try jumping as far as they can and marking their jumps to see if they can improve their jump distance.

Hurdles – Set up very small obstacles for preschoolers to run and jump over to run an Olympics track event, hurdles.

Awards Ceremony at an Olympics Fitness Party

What You Need:

A Medal Necklace for Each Preschooler

National Anthem Music

One or more Flags from Different Countries

What to Do:

Play a National Anthem. Partner preschoolers together. Hand each preschooler a medal and have them put the medal around the neck of another preschooler. Show preschoolers how to stand and watch the country flags wave as the anthem plays.

Resources for an Olympics Fitness Party

MP3 Downloads: Visit Amazon's MP3 Downloads for Olympics Music
Music CDs: Visit Music CDs with Olympics Music

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