Preschool Gymnastics

It is a very special time, it is time for Summer Olympics! This year, the Olympics will be held in Beijing, China from 8 August to August 24th 2008.

The best athletes from around the world gather to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in a wide variety of sports ranging from athletics to gymnastics to swimming and diving. The Olympics are also time for people of many cultures and backgrounds to make friends and learn acceptance. Bring the Olympics in your home by planning and business activities Olympics inspire your children to be active and experience the Olympic spirit.

The Olympic flag

Explain to your child that the Olympic flag is a flag very special. It has five interlocking rings of color on a white background. The rings represent the five major land areas, or continents of the world. Show the children of these land areas on a map or a globe. Explain that the rings are attached to show the friendship between different nations. Then have your child paint or color interlocking rings on a sheet of paper printed in white to resemble the Olympic flag. Attach a straw to the handle.

Olympic Torch

During the opening ceremony of the Olympics, a specially chosen person lights the Olympic cauldron to mark the official start of the Games. The flame burned throughout the Games. Have your child make his own Olympic torch and let the games begin! To make a simple torch, your child cover the outside of a roll of aluminum foil. Then have her glue red, yellow, and orange tissue paper inside the paper roll. Let your run around the cauldron to light the torch seemed great with her torch.)

Olympic Mascots

The mascot for the 2008 Olympic Games is the Fuwa. The Fuwa consist of five doll creations named Beibei, Jingjing Huanhuan, Yingying and Nini. Each Fuwa represents a different animal (fish, giant panda, fire, Tibetan antelope, and swallow) and the element of Chinese philosophy (water, metal, fire, earth and wood), and each has the a primary color of the five Olympic rings colors (red, blue, green, yellow and black). Encourage your child to create a mascot like the Fuwa represents your city or state. Visit our website Olympic free coloring pagesfor each mascot.

Olympic Medals

Create an easy to make medals for your children. Draw a circle on a piece of cardboard and have children color it with yellow crayons. Spread a thin layer of glue on the painted circles and while glue is still wet, lightly sprinkle on glitter. Shake off excess glitter and let dry. To add the neck ribbon, cut a length of ribbon approximately 32 inches.

Olympic Day

Children of all ages will enjoy these fun Olympic activities . For the opening celebration, play the music on and have children follow a torch-bearer of their own creation of flags to launch your games.

Watersports

Have your children jump on a sprinkler, water balloons move a laundry basket to the other, a few water balloons or resealable plastic bags filled with water in a bucket other, and launch sponges from a bucket of water trying to hit a target.

Gymnastics Event

Put on some music and spread a large sheet to use as a gym.