The International Olympic Committee organizes and oversees the Summer Olympics every four years. Some sports in the summer Olympics include fencing, golf, archery, gymnastics, equestrian events, track and field, cycling, and swimming and diving competitions. Help your family and friends stay active by organizing activities and games centered on the events of the Summer Olympics.
Dry Land Water Polo
You do not need access to a pool to participate in water activities centered on the Summer Olympics. Play a dry land version of water polo by dividing your group into two teams. Place two large plastic or wooden buckets directly across from each other, about 50 feet apart. Give one player a water balloon and instruct her to only hold the balloon with one hand, unless catching the balloon. On your "Go," the players on one team must pass and toss the ball one to each other, trying to get the balloon in their basket without the other team breaking or stealing the balloon. Have a large supply of filled water balloons available for the inevitable burst balloons.
Archery Competitions
Children and adults will enjoy emulating the intense archery competitions of the Summer Olympics. Archery requires accuracy, patience and strength. Use child-sized bows for children. Position the target near a solid wall or fence and supervise the games closely. Use a large target with balloons pinned to the center for adults and children to pop with arrows. Play connect 4 by setting up an 8 by 8 grid of large squares. Each player takes turns shooting his arrow toward a square in a grid, with the goal of setting his arrows four across, up and down or diagonally. Only one arrow can occupy a square at one time. If a player shoots his arrow into another player's square, he loses his turn.
Trampoline Endurance Activity
The 2000 Summer Olympics welcomed the sport of trampoline gymnastics for the first time. Even if your group is not proficient at flipping or tumbling on the trampoline, most will enjoy playing a simple trampoline game. Use a trampoline with a safety net to help prevent injury from falls. Play a simple game of bouncing endurance by asking three or four participants at a time to stand on the trampoline. Use a stopwatch to time the participants as they bounce on the trampoline. If a person falls or jumps into another player, she is out. With a large group, play in rounds, with the winner from each round jumping against another winning player.
Field Games
The field events for the Summer Olympics include hurdles, running and race walking events, relay races, discus throws, hammer throws and jumping events. Choose three events and conduct a triathlon field event at your Summer Olympic event. Set up a 50- or 100-yard dash, organize a long jump event and use a lightweight plastic disc in place of the heavy discus used by Olympic athletes. Give each participant a number and a sheet of paper with a list of events. As each participant completes an event, he records his time in the dash, how far he jumped and the distance he threw the disc. Declare a male and female winner in each age category.
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