Birthday Party Games: Olympic Theme - Part 1

It was my daughter’s seventh birthday party over the weekend and I want to share with you the birthday party games we played. Not just because all the kids had a blast, but also so I can justify all the time I spent planning that party! I spent more hours planning the birthday party than the length of the party itself! So to justify spending an inordinate amount of time planning a child’s birthday party, I’m rationalizing that those hours were also spent researching birthday party games for this post. Perhaps I’ll even save a few of you some time when it’s time to plan your kid’s next birthday party. Just steal these party ideas and make me feel better!

My daughter’s birthday party had an Olympic theme. Before the party, I assigned each child to an Olympic team and listed their names on a piece of paper underneath a picture of their country’s flag. When the kids arrived for the birthday party, I had them go to their team’s table to decorate their Olympic uniforms. Each child got a plain white t-shirt and markers to correspond with the colors of their country’s flag.

Before we could begin the birthday party games Olympic events, we had to have the opening ceremonies, of course! Since I don’t think there will ever be an age when I feel comfortable having one of my children run with fire, our Olympic torch was a large yellow shiny balloon in the shape of a sunflower. If you squinted it gave you the illusion of flames as my daughter ran by!

Then each Olympic team marched in holding their country’s flag. In our case, we used a shamrock flag for Ireland and our U.S. flag (neither flag touched the ground!)

Event #1: Bouncing Relay

For this Olympic event, you’ll need two hopping bouncy balls with handles. Have each team line up behind a starting line. Each child takes a turn bouncing to a designated spot (we used an orange cone) and then has to bounce back to the next teammate in the relay waiting at the starting line. As with all relays, the team who finishes first wins.

Event #2: Spoon Relay

For this Olympic event, you’ll need two plastic spoons and two golf balls. Each child takes a turn balancing the golf ball on the spoon, while walking to the cone and back to the next teammate waiting to go. If the golf ball drops, the child has to stop, pick it up and put it back on the spoon before starting to walk again. Make sure the kids don’t hold the golf ball, it’s a balancing game! Some people use eggs, but who needs the mess and risk of salmonella!

This is the first post in a three part series on Olympic themed birthday party games. If you want to read about events three through six, read Birthday Party Games: Olympic Theme - Part Two. For our final events and award ceremony, read Birthday Party Games: Olympic Theme - Part Three.

If you’re looking for more Olympic theme activities, check out this Olympic rings craft.

If you’re looking for an Olympic theme cake, check out this American Flag cake recipe!

If you’re looking for birthday party games that aren’t the Olympic theme, check out these birthday party games.