The Summer Olympic Games provide the perfect inspiration for your family, or even neighborhood, to create an Olympic competition in your backyard to teach children how to incorporate fun and creativity into exercise.
Not only does it promote physical activity, but friendly competition teaches children about teamwork and how to be a gracious winner or loser. Before starting your backyard Olympics, consider holding an opening ceremony and ask Olympians to take an oath of good sportsmanship like athletes do at the Olympic Games.
Here are 10 ideas for your backyard Olympics that are active, fun, affordable and accessible to just about anyone!
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - Bean Bag Backyard Olympics Listicle - Bean Bag](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/listicle-photos/bean-bags-and-other-fun-games-for-the-backyard.jpg)
Bean bag toss
Materials: bean bags, large plastic bowls or crates
Arrange bowls in a straight line and assign points to each bowl. The bowl closest to the start should have the lowest point value and the most points for the bowl farthest from the start line. See who can get the most points in just three turns.
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - Water Balloon Backyard Olympics Listicle - Water Balloon](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/listicle-photos/waterballoonrelay-stocksy-small-701220-448x268.jpg)
Water balloon relay (or race)
Materials: water-filled balloons, adult sweatpants, watch or stop watch
Get as many water balloons to the finish line in the shortest amount of time by carrying them in your sweatpants (while you're wearing them). Start the timer before your child fills his or her sweatpants with water balloons and stop the timer when they cross the finish line.
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - Hula hoop Backyard Olympics Listicle - Hula hoop](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/listicle-photos/hulahoop-istock-24400736-double-448x268.jpg)
Hula-hoop-a-thon
Materials: hula-hoop, watch or stop watch
Kids should keep their hoops moving as long as possible and are eliminated when their hoops touch the ground. Make the contest more challenging by calling out instructions every few minutes. Some fun suggestions include:
- touch both hands to your head
- stand on one foot
- move to your right and hop in place.
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - Beach Ball Backyard Olympics Listicle - Beach Ball](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/beachballrace-stocksy-small-706308-448x268.jpg)
Beach ball race
Materials: beach ball, water gun
Each child should move his or her beach ball from the start to the finish line using only water spray from a water gun to move the beach ball. The first person to get his or her beach ball across the finish line wins.
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - Frisbee Backyard Olympics Listicle - Frisbee](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/frisbeediscussthrow-istock-86925857-xxxlarge-448x268.jpg)
Frisbee throw
Materials: Frisbee
Mark a start line and various distances on the ground. Each child gets three attempts to see who can throw the Frisbee the farthest. Throwing technique should be flexible and match the child's abilities.
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - Water Balloon Shotput Backyard Olympics Listicle - Water Balloon Shotput](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/listicle-photos/waterballoonshotput-stocksy-small-701223-448x268.jpg)
Water balloon shot put
Materials: water-filled balloons
Mark a start line and various distances on the ground. Each child gets three attempts to see who can throw their water balloon the farthest. Encourage kids to try the shot put "glide" (start with back facing the direction of the throw, glide backward in the direction of the throw, then turn and release the shot put
all at once) and "spin" technique (start with back facing the direction of the throw and use a whipping motion to run and pivot into the release) to add a little challenge and silliness.
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - pool noodle Backyard Olympics Listicle - pool noodle](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/listicle-photos/poolnoodle-istock-29225338-xxlarge-448x268.jpg)
Pool noodle javelin
Materials: pool noodle
Mark a start line and various distances on the ground. Each child gets three attempts to see who can throw his or her pool noodle the farthest. Encourage kids to try different throwing techniques including standing still and the "run-up" approach
(start about five strides away from the line, facing the direction of the throw, then accelerate quickly toward the throw all while completing the throwing action).
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - egg race Backyard Olympics Listicle - egg race](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/listicle-photos/eggrace-istock-72505887-xxxlarge-448x268.jpg)
Egg race
Materials: hard-boiled egg, spoon
Arrange kids at the start line with eggs resting in spoons. The hand that is not holding a spoon should be tucked behind their backs. Kids should race to cross the finish line with their eggs still balanced on their spoons. If the egg falls, then it's back to the
starting line!
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - balloon hockey Backyard Olympics Listicle - balloon hockey](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/listicle-photos/balloonhockey-istock-32329104-xlarge-448x268.jpg)
Balloon hockey
Materials: air-filled balloons, pool noodle, laundry baskets, watch or stop watch
Children compete to see who can get the most balloons into a laundry basket using just their pool noodle. This activity works well as an individual or team completion. For individual competition, each kid should have his or her own basket, and
for the team competition, baskets should be assigned to each team.
![Backyard Olympics Listicle - balance beam Backyard Olympics Listicle - balance beam](/-/media/allina-health/content/healthy-set-go/listicle-photos/balance-beam-practice.jpg)
Balance beam
Materials: can of water-based athletic-field paint
Paint a straight, even stripe on a flat section of lawn, which is the "balance beam." Ask your participants to perform a series of increasingly difficult maneuvers without straying from the stripe. Award points for completion of each maneuver. Some fun suggestions
include:
- walking forward
- walking backward
- hopping on one foot
- doing front rolls
- doing cartwheels
- doing 360-degree spins on one foot.
At the conclusion of your backyard Olympics, hold an award ceremony complete with medals and music to celebrate the winners and all Olympians' good sportsmanship. Just because the Summer Olympic games are held once every four years, doesn't mean you have to wait that long to do this again. Make this an annual event with new
games and challenges and next time around involve everyone in the planning.