Backyard Olympics
Five stations, one scorecard, and everybody competes.
- Ages
- 4–12 yrs
- Play
- 30–75 min
- Prep
- 12 min
- Mess
- barely any
- Energy
- wild
- Where
- outside
You’ll need
Things you probably have at home.
- outdoor play equipment
Optional
- sidewalk chalk to mark the stationsGet it on Amazon
- a timerGet it on Amazon
- paper for the scoreboardGet it on Amazon
- a bucket as a targetGet it on Amazon
How to play
Before you start: Set up five stations around the yard and chalk a number beside each one.
Explain all five stations first, then run through them in order together once.
Station ideas: throw into the bucket, hop to the fence, jump the rope ten times, throw a frisbee through a hoop, run to the tree and back.
Everyone competes, adults included, and adults do not go easy.
Score each station out of five and keep a running total on the board.
Award a medal, drawn on paper, for something specific each person did well.
What it helps with
Keep it safe
- Check the ground for holes and hard edges before you start.
- Water breaks on warm days.
Make it different next time
- Run it as a relay if there are two or more children.
- Let them design two stations themselves.
Cleanup: Collect the equipment as a final timed station.
Three more like this
- Good for siblings
