The holidays have come and gone and the lull of winter is weighing in on everything from activities to lesson plans. While winter may be lingering where you live, this year it’s bringing something special with it. The Sochi Winter Olympics are just around the corner and the anticipation is high at our house!
So what can our children learn from the Olympics? Learning numbers? They are everywhere in the coverage. Talking about Geography? It’s diversity is incredible! Teaching character? Overcoming adversity and determination is in every event. It’s the perfect way to change up the things that may have become mundane in the early parts of the year.
Here are some ideas that we will be doing along with some great links to resources that can help make the Olympics a great teaching tool for any age!
These t-shirts are perfect for opening ceremonies and nights where you are cheering on your favorite athletes! My kids are always proud to sport something they have made themselves. These easy shirts are the perfect way to liven up your school projects!
Use your cutting, painting, and coloring skills to jazz up your house with these Olympic Plate Rings! They are easy enough for even the younger ones to make!
Let your kid’s imagination run wild as they invent their own Olympic sport, determine their rules, and even design their own medals with this freebie!
Counting, Numbers & Graphs Everywhere!
Numbers are everywhere in the coverage! Whether you are working on number recognition, counting, or addition and subtraction there is something for all ages! Here is a great resource on free printable graphs and charts.
Roll & Cover Number and Addition Game
Real World Geography
We will be hanging our large wall map down by our TV so we can find and quiz our kids on the different countries as the athletes compete.
I love how this idea of easy felt flags doubles as both a lesson on countries’ flags and decorations!
Family Fun
Most learning that is remembered is done when it’s fun! I love these game ideas to challenge kids and promote family fun. Don’t just watch the athletes, become a competitor too! Family games are a great way to encourage bonding and relationships!
Character Building
Look for ways to teach your children about things like perseverance, determination, humility, and sacrifice. Find ways to talk to your kids about their gifts and how they dream of using those things to bring glory to God someday.
We will be making these medals to reward and encourage our kids. There are never too many ways to spend time building up our kids!
Here is an amazing link that includes resources from libraries, You Tube, and Pinterest.
Have fun with the Olympics, use it as an opportunity to relate school with currents events, and most of all teach your kids to dream BIG! God has awesome plans for each one of our kids and it’s never too early to start teaching kids to trust Him to do the BIG, INCREDIBLE, and even the IMPOSSIBLE!
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