After a year of waiting, the Summer Olympics are finally here and are serving up intense competitions and stories of hard work and dedication. They are also perfect to watch as a whole family. You can cheer together as athletes and teams try for gold and learn about different cultures and countries in the process. Here are a few ways to have some Olympic-themed fun and education with your family, even after the games end in Tokyo.

Learn about the Host Country

The Olympics are a perfect opportunity to learn about the host country and city. This year the games are held in Tokyo, Japan, a place with rich history and culture. There are many ways to learn about Tokyo as you watch. Check out books on Japan from the library to read together. Get takeout from a local Japanese restaurant and eat while you watch the Games during dinner. You could also watch a movie together, such as Spirited Away or Ponyo, made by the Academy Award-winning Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli. 

Discover New Cultures Together

The Games also provide a good opportunity to learn about other cultures and countries. That is the magic of the Olympics. Athletes from all over, even small cities and countries, have a chance to shine a spotlight on their hometowns and cultures. These moments can spark curiosity in our kids about other countries and their traditions. It is a perfect opportunity to teach about world geography, the flags of the world, and different native costumes. One of our traditions is to go to the store World Market, which has an international food section, and pick out new food and treats to try while we watch together. We also try to keep a map handy to find countries as different athletes participate.

Family Olympics

If you need a more active option for your kids, planning a mini family Olympics in your home can be easy and fun. You don’t even need a lot of supplies. Just like the classic episode of The Office, where the characters created a whole Olympic program from items on their desk and around the office, you can search your home for easy game ideas. Use a roll of toilet paper and race to see how fast you can wrap a family member up like a mummy. Use those red plastic cups for a game of cup stacking or pass a balloon around and see how long you can keep it in the air. Your games do not have to be complicated to be fun. For example, my kids invented a game called “trashketball” where they shot crumpled paper balls into a laundry basket that they put up on a cabinet. They played it for days, and we still laugh about it. Keeping it simple and including the kids on your family Olympic planning committee will help make it memorable.

Backyard Games

If it is getting too warm inside your home, take your family games to the backyard and create a water-themed Olympics. There are so many good options that will get you soaked and laughing. You can play classic water balloon toss where everyone takes a step back after catching the balloon or a game of water balloon volleyball using partners and a towel to catch and toss the balloon back and forth. Other options include setting up a water balloon shot put arena or drawing a target on your fence with chalk and trying to hit the bullseye with a balloon. You can even use your sprinkler instead of a high jump bar for a soaking version of a high jump. The point here is to cool down while having fun and seeing how wet you can be by the end.

The Summer Olympics may already be underway, but do not let that stop you from using the games as a theme for some summer fun for your kids. Whether or not you sit down and watch together, the lessons of hard work and teamwork are still important for families too. It is a great time to learn about the world and different cultures and to make memories together.