Backyard Decathlon: Olympic Trials
Organize a competitive series of low-stakes athletic events using household items (e.g., balloon volleyball, obstacle courses, hula hoop endurance) tailored to different ages and skill levels.
- Takes
- 2 hr
- Your setup
- 30 min prep
- Ages
- Ages 6 and up
- Mess
- No mess
- Cost
- $
- Where
- Outdoors
How to do it
- 1Design 8-10 events (e.g., 50-meter dash, sack race, longest jump, beanbag toss).
- 2Clearly explain rules and scoring before starting. Establish handicap rules if ages vary widely.
- 3Assign roles: one adult handles scoring and timekeeping; the other monitors safety.
- 4Run the events sequentially, pausing for water breaks.
- 5Award homemade medals or ribbons during a brief 'Closing Ceremony'.
What they're practising
- Physical Endurance
- Sportsmanship
- Coordination
- Goal Setting