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Preschool Olympics Theme
A Preschool Olympics Theme: Summer or Winter--this is a great theme to encourage games and working together!
This Preschool Olympics Theme page includes preschool lesson plans, activities and Interest Learning Center ideas for your Preschool Classroom!
This page has enough activities to get you started to plan a week of fun. If you're looking for the full, week-long version of this Olympics Preschool Theme with downloads go here to check out the resource!
Let the Preschool Olympics Begin!You can either scroll down through this page to see all of the preschool activities for your theme or click the link below to go to specific preschool activity types you are looking for.
Preschool Olympics Theme Art
Colored Olympic Rings
Materials needed: paper plates, crayons, scissors,
In advance, either cut out the centers of the paper plates OR draw a dark line with a marker to show the children where to cut (Cut a starting cut mark to help them begin) so they can cut out the centers themselves.
The children color the rings.
EXTENSION: Staple 5 rings together in the Olympic pattern and hang around your classroom!
Collage Flags
Materials needed: paper, variety of miscellaneous arts and crafts items, scissors, glue
The children make a collage of their own flags.
Or, show pictures of your country's flag for them to try to duplicate with the items you have provided.
Olympic Torches
Materials needed: Paper, crayons, stickers, tissue paper in yellow, red and orange.
The children decorate the paper with crayons and stickers.
Roll the paper in a cone shape, with their colored side on the outside and tape or staple in place (this is the torch holder).
The children crumple up one piece of each color tissue paper and insert into their torch.
Hammer Throw Art Thanks Cindy B. for this idea!
For painting use a large canvas or Bristol board, dip rocks in paint and throw onto canvas/ Bristol board. I did this with children's hammers for hammer throw during our Olympics theme.
Preschool Olympics Theme Block Center IdeasHow Far?
Show the children how to balance a ruler on a cylinder block (it will look like a teeter-totter or see-saw). Place a pom pom on one end of the ruler. "Slam" your hand on the other side of the ruler and see how far the pom-pom goes!
Preschool Olympics Theme Circle Time IdeasCircle Time is such a great time for children to learn the social skills of being together as a large group AND to learn more about your theme!
Pass the Torch
For this game, you'll need to check out your CD collection! Find music that is fast, slow and in between.
In advance, make a torch--roll paper into a cone shape and staple paper flames to it!
Start slow music and begin passing the torch from person to person, when the music stops, they freeze.
Now play faster music and pass the torch faster!
Preschool Olympics Theme Training Exercises!
Again, you will need your music collection! There are so many CD's with exercise songs on them! Choose a few every day!
Cooking Ideas for your Theme!Cooking with children helps develop their math skills and helps them to learn how to follow directions. It also allows for some great conversation!
Ask many questions while cooking with your children to encourage conversation! Be sure to ask specific themed questions while making these fun snacks!
Popcorn in Torch Cups
Make air popped popcorn with the children. Season to taste.
While the popcorn is popping, have the children color a piece of paper. Roll it into a cone shape. Tape in place and staple the bottom closed.
Serve popcorn in torches!
VARIATION: Use ice cream cones for torches to serve the popcorn in! Totally edible snack!
Preschool Olympics Theme Fruit Ring Pizza
Ingredients: Large chocolate chip cookies (make these with the children from your favorite recipe!); cream cheese to spread on the cookies and fruit to decorate the rings: blueberries, blackberries; strawberries; pineapple or banana; kiwi
See my Pinterest Page for a picture! (The Pinterest link to my board is on the bottom of this page).
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Preschool Olympics Theme Dramatic PlayIdeas To Transform Your Dramatic Play Area!
Training Center
Set up some obstacle courses and games for your preschool Olympiads!
Toss balls into a bin; add a balance beam; add other activities as space allows.
Also, we need to eat healthy to be healthy! Provide healthy play food for the children to prepare!
Preschool Olympics Theme Ideas for Your EaselMore Than Just Painting (Although that is always THE favorite in our classroom!)
My Own Flag
Provide paper, the 5 Olympic Ring colors of paint (blue, black, red, yellow, green) and brushes. The children create their own, unique flag!
Preschool Olympics Theme Large Group Gamesthat help build their muscles while they have fun together!
Olympic Game Time!
Here are many ideas for Preschool Style Olympic Games:
Tennis: Use Fly swatters and balloons to play.
Hockey: Use pool noodles and beach balls to hit the ball from one side of the playground or room to the other.
Basketball: Use a preschool basketball hoop set you already have or provide baskets or bins and balls to bounce and throw into the bins.
Ice Skating: Secure waxed paper around the children's socks and let them skate on a carpeted area.
Relay Race: Have the children run to a friend and hand them a "scroll"; that child runs to the next child, etc.
Preschool Olympics Theme Ideas for the LibraryBook Suggestions for the Library
(I LOVE Amazon, and some of the links below will take you to the Amazon website. If you do choose to purchase yours through Amazon, they do send me a few cents--which supports my coffee habit! )
Duke's Olympic Feet by Ellie Crowe
How to Train with a T. Rex and Win 8 Gold Medals by Michael Phelps
Koala Lou by Mem Fox
Alphabet Olympics by Michelle Stacey Sjodin
Panda Goes to the Olympics: Animalympics by Judith Simanovsky
Tacky and the Winter Games (Tacky the Penguin) by Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger
Winners Never Quit! by Mia Hamm
Preschool Olympics Theme Math & Manipulativesto help your Preschoolers develop their math skills and those small muscles in their hands!
Measure It!
Provide rulers, tape measures, yard sticks and other items to measure with this week!
The Olympic Crown
Provide artificial leaves and large wreaths.
The children decorate the wreaths with the leaves.
Provide different colors, shapes, shades, etc.
Preschool Olympics Theme Music and MovementIdeas and Activities to get your Preschoolers Movin' and Groovin'!
Parachute Play
Use colored balls to toss off the parachute.
Also, encourage the children to move the parachute together and try to keep the balls ON the parachute!!
Preschool Olympics Theme Sand & Water TableJump the Hurdles
Use sand in your table. Add small plastic fences from a play farm set and animals to jump over the fences.
Or, add craft sticks to make fences and little people to jump the hurdles.
Ice Hockey
In advance, fill tubs or bins with water and freeze. Make many of them!
In advance, tape two craft sticks together to make the letter "L"--a hockey stick shape.
Provide pom poms or ping pong balls for your children to hit across the ice to each other!
Preschool Olympics Theme Science Activitiesfor your Preschool Scientists in Training!
Olympic Color Mixing
Provide bingo daubers of a variety of colors.
Encourage the children to press colors over each other.
"I wonder what color you will have if you make a red dot on top of the yellow dot?"
Olympic Fireworks
This looks amazing, though I must admit I have never tried it! I'd love to hear from anyone who does this!
Here's what you need:
3 clear glasses (one large, 2 can be smaller).
Fill the large glass 3/4 full with warm water.
In the smaller glasses, place 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and a few drops of food coloring (choose 2 different colors--I suggest red in one of the cups and blue in the other).
Quickly pour the contents of one of the small glasses into the large glass of warm water and observe!
(Some of the food coloring will remain in the vegetable oil until it gets heavy enough to fall through the oil. When it does, some will go to the bottom of the glass and then "fly" up to the top as it pops).
After several minutes, pour the contents of the other small glass into the large one and watch the colors mix!
To see a demonstration of this, go to the link below!
Go to Fireworks in a Glass Demonstration
Preschool Olympics Theme Writing CenterMy Favorite Olympic Sport
Provide colored pencils and/or crayons and paper. Encourage the children to draw a picture of their favorite Olympic sport. Ask them to tell you about their picture and write down what they say.
Make these into a Preschool Olympic classroom book!
Other Pages You Might Like:
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Hey there! Welcome to Preschool Plan It! I’m Cheryl, a preschool teacher of over 20 years.
I KNOW, I know, you spend hours of time developing your preschool themes, activities and preschool lesson plans each week. You are commited to planning preschool themes and activities that are engaging hands-on, interactive, fun AND meet the goal of supporting each child’s level of growth and development.
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