Mini-Olympics

boy running

Get into the Olympic spirit with your own Mini-Olympics that encourages children to explore a range of different Fundamental Movement Skills. Embrace the theme by making medals for everyone, learning about some of the participating countries, and reading books about the Olympic spirit.

Set up

Set out equipment for the following stations. You can set up as many of the stations as you wish depending on your group size and equipment.

  • Station 1: Run as fast as you can (sprints) - set up two cones for the start line and two cones for the finish line with clear space in between.
  • Station 2: Bounce & score (basketball) - bouncy balls and a hoop or a bucket 5-10 metres away 
  • Station 3: How far can you throw? (javelin/discus/shot-put) - a pile of beanbags with some coloured hoops at differing distances
  • Station 4: Run & jump (long jump) - set out a cone 10 metres away from a mat or sandpit that the children can jump into
  • Station 5: Score a goal (soccer) - use chairs or markers to set up soccer goals. Place balls 2 metres away
  • Station 6: Hit the ball (hockey) - have pool noodles that have been cut in half and tennis balls. Set out cones a few metres away that the children can try and hit the ball at using the pool noodle as a hockey stick.
How to play
Step 1:

 If you have more than one educator, divide children into small groups and move through the stations with the educator. Before beginning each station, demonstrate the Olympic activity using your common skill teaching vocabulary e.g. "make a muscle arm and then throw".

  • Station 1: Run as fast as you can (sprints) - Start with everyone between the starting cones and on the educator's call of Ready, Set, Go, run to the finish line.
  • Station 2: Bounce & scoreS (basketball) - Each child bounces and catches the ball and then tries to throw it into the bucket to score a goal. Three of four children can do this at a time.
  • Station 3: How far can you throw? (javelin/discus/shot-put) - Each child has a beanbag and uses an overarm throw to throw it as far as they can and see if it lands in a hoop. Everyone throws at the same time to avoid waiting time, then collect and throw again.
  • Station 4: Run & jump (long jump) - One at a time the children run and jump into the sandpit or onto a mat
  • Station 5: Score a goal (soccer) - Children try to kick the soccer ball into one of the goals. Set up a few goals to allow more than one child a go at a time.
  • Station 6: Hit the ball (hockey) - Children use the pool noodle to try and hit the tennis ball and knock over the cones (score a goal). Multiple children can do this at a time depending on how much equipment you have. 
Step 2:

After a few minutes, move the group along to the next station and demonstrate the next Olympic activity. Stay in the Olympic spirit with lots of cheering, clapping and motivating. Join in alongside the children at all the stations, role modelling the activities.

Step 3:

After children have played at all the stations,  let them choose their favourite Olympic sport to play at again! Or have a medal ceremony where they all receive their medals and the national anthem plays.

Variations
Make it easier
  • Limit the amount of equipment and just do the stations that involve running, jumping and balancing
Make it harder
  • Add more challenging stations, children might need to catch and throw to each other before scoring a goal or they might need to dribble the tennis ball with the pool noodle around an obstacle before having a hit
Activity information
Age: 3-5 years
Participants: 1 +
Equipment: Tennis balls, Beanbags, Cones, Cut pool noodles, Basketballs (optional), Soccer balls (optional)
Duration: 20 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Skill teaching

Use KIDDO's common skill teaching vocabulary for the skills the children are exploring in the mini-olympics. This includes running, jumping, overarm throw,  kick, striking and catching. 

Physical literacy tips
  • Make Olympic medals for everyone to be awarded at the end of the activity
  • Read a book about the Olympics or sport before doing this activity
  • Talk about different countries and each group of children could represent different Olympic countries
  • Lots of encouragement for everyone, there are no winners or losers at KIDDO's mini-Olympics. Everyone who has a go gets a gold medal.