Happy Tuesday! I don't know about you, but we have been glued to the TV the past week cheering for our favorite Olympic Winter sports! My kids are particularly entranced with the Figure Skating, Biathlon, Bobsled and Skeleton!? Seems only appropriate with all the winter revelry, that we mix a little Olympic history in with a geography lesson and a fun craft! 

Today I'm sharing a little history on Olympisim,  a little geography lesson, and a few simple crafts to get your little ones thinking about the meaning behind the Olympics.  

Let the crafting begin! What are your favorite Olympic Winter sports?

xo, Kassy

a little history: the olympic rings

The official Olympic symbol of the modern Olympic Games - widely known throughout the world as the Olympic Rings - is the visual ambassador of Olympism for billions of people.  The Olympic symbol consists of five interlaced colored rings of equal dimension, linked together. These rings represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games. 

The Olympic Games are not just about the uniting of athletes from around the world, but about these three pillars: 

1. Friendship
2. Respect
3. Excellence

The Olympic flag has a white background, with these five interlaced rings in the centre (from left to right): blue, yellow, black, green and red. This design is symbolic; it represents the five continents of the world, united by Olympism, while the six colours are those that appear on all the national flags of the world at the present time.

which 5 continents? 

Question: Using a map of the world, or map puzzle, you can ask your kids which 5 continents the rings represent. My son is particularly interested in geography right now, so we are loving this map of the world puzzle.

Answer: The 5 Olympic Rings represent: 1) North + South America; 2) Africa; 3)  Asia; 4) Australia;  and 5) Europe. These rings not only represent the 5 main continents but also symbolize the uniting of athletes from all over the world to compete at the Olympic Games.

what you'll need

Olympic Rings Craft

• Olympic Rings Printable

• Color tissue paper

• Glue

O is for Olympics Craft

• O is for Olympics Printable

• Fuit Loops and/or Cheerios

• Glue

Bobsled Craft

• Acrylic paint, colored pencils or markers
• Paper cups and plates
• Paintbrushes
• Popsicle sticks 
• Scissors 

directions

1. Set up a craft station, laying out all your supplies. Print out the Olympic Rings Printable and O is for Olympics Printable. 
2. Talk to your children about the Olympics. As them what they think the Olympics are about. Ask them what they think the Olympic Rings stand for. After discussing, read them the history of the Olympics and discuss what the colors mean and represent. If you have a map of the world, show them the continents, or ask them to find them and point them out. 
3. Start with one craft, helping your children where needed (handling scissors and glue) and then move onto the next craft. For the Bobsleds you'll need to let the paint dry, before glueing on your popsicle sticks! Once dry, find your favorite character (we used lego Batman!) and have a bobsled race!

Hint: Keep wetwipes near your craft station for easy cleanup!