Five Simple Ways to Enjoy the 2021 Olympics Even More!
Hey y’all. I’ve got a special treat for you in this post. My husband, John, is the biggest Olympics fan I know, so I’ve asked him to collaborate with me to bring you some easy and fun ways to make this Olympic season memorable and even more exciting for you and your family. Check out his thoughts below on what makes the Olympics so special.
John's Olympic Memories
I’m a big sports fan in general, but the Olympics are one of my favorite things to watch. There are lots of reasons I love the Olympics, but here are just a few.
The 1996 Olympics brought me some of my favorite memories as a kid. I still remember watching the Magnificent Seven and Michael Johnson compete. I also got to attend a soccer match in person. And in the past two Olympics, I’ve made memories with my own kids. My oldest son was a baby during the last summer Olympics and I remember holding him and watching Michael Phelps compete in swimming early in the morning.
I also love the Olympics because of what they represent. I think it’s really awesome that individuals from around the world are coming together in one place regardless of race, politics, religion, etc. to celebrate each sport and have the best of the best compete. It gives a rare opportunity to learn about other countries. It also makes me feel a lot of pride in my own country. It is fun to cheer on Team USA but also to respect great people from other places too.
Suggestions from John and Jamie:
1. Make Some Olympics-Themed Foods (Jamie)
One option is to make foods from the host country, especially if you are planning to make an event of the opening ceremony. Check out this list of easy Japanese recipes from InsanelyGoodRecipes, that you can supposedly make in 30 minutes or less.
Another fun option is to use the Olympics as an opportunity to try some recipes from different parts of the world. My family has decided to try this on nights we plan to watch the Olympics, and we’re going to use this cookbook. I downloaded it to my kindle, but it is also available in paperback. All the recipes are designated with numbers that let you know how difficult they are, how hard it might be to find ingredients, and how “exotic” it is. I love how well-organized it is and there is a lot of great variety in the recipes!
Now, if you just want to stick to American food, but have a little fun with it, use your food to cheer on Team USA! Check out this recipe for a Red, White, and Blue Berry Trifle that is AMAZING! Or keep it simple and serve strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream.
Both of these patriotic desserts would go great with traditional game day foods that would also be great foods to serve to celebrate the Olympics! Check out 4 Easy Chip and Dip Recipes You’ll Love for some really simple dips that make perfect party foods!
2. Keep Track of the Medal Count (John)
Our kids love keeping track of the medal count during the Olympics and it’s something I loved doing as a kid and also as an adult. We are planning to use a map like this one, and have our kids write the number of medals on the countries with a dry erase marker. This way we can learn some geography while we count.
If you want to do it differently, you can use a paper like this one my wife made. As countries win medals you just keep a tally and then total them all up while you watch the closing ceremony.
3. Have Your Own "Olympics" (John)
I used to teach World History, and when we studied Greece, I used to set up an “Olympics” with events for the kids to participate in. This would be really easy to do with your kids or friends too. You can use whatever you have. To represent Gymnastics, see who can stand on one foot the longest. And if you have a basketball goal, you could shoot free throws, or if you have a soccer goal, see who can make the most penalty kicks. And track and field events are really easy to do too. This would be fun to do with your kids or with a group of friends.
4. Wear Your Favorite USA Gear (Jamie)
One super easy way to get into the Olympics and cheer on Team USA is to get something fun to wear in support. I’ve linked a few favorites below.
- This Nike Soccer Tee is a great option for men or women, and it comes in red, white, or blue.
- This Adidas Golf Polo comes in 3 styles and, though a little pricey, might be a good investment for big Team USA fans.
- I love this gymnastics tee for men, women or kids.
- This tee is super simple and cute and works for men, women, or kids.
Or if you don’t want to buy anything new, reuse your 4th of July outfits or just wear red, white, and blue.
5. Use It As an Opportunity to Learn (Jamie)
I think the Olympics offer the perfect opportunity to learn, especially if you have children.
First of all, it’s a great time to learn more about other countries.
- Use a map like John mentioned earlier to learn some geography.
- Print off pictures of different countries’ flags for your kids to color and hang them up.
- Have kids pick a country and learn more about it and then talk to you about it.
It’s also a great opportunity to learn about sports.
- Teach kids the rules of sports they haven’t played or watched before.
- After watching a sport, have the kids practice some of the basics.
- Have kids research the history of a sport or a famous athlete from a sport they liked watching and tell you about it.
Have Fun! (John)
We hope this gives you some ideas to help make watching the Tokyo Olympics this year even more fun. And if you need more fun ideas, check out some of my wife’s other posts that can help you get more out of days with your kids. Have a Good Day!
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