7 Ways to Catch the 2016 Summer Olympics Spirit Right Here in St. Louis
As the world’s top athletes finish their final rounds of training, citizens across the globe are starting to get excited for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Olympics are more than just another athletic competition; they represent many of the positive values we hope to instill in our children – values like teamwork, sportsmanship, dedication, optimism, national pride and global unity.
This August, make time to watch the Olympic Games with your family. With so many ways to celebrate and learn from this amazing event, kids and adults can enjoy all that it has to offer, and we’ve rounded up lots of ideas to help you along the way.
1. Know the Schedule, and Make Plans to Watch your Favorites
It’s virtually impossible to watch all of the Olympic coverage. Between network and digital platforms, NBC Universal will air an unprecedented 6,775 hours of programming. But with Rio just one hour ahead of our Eastern Time Zone, we’ll be able to watch many of the events live on TV (and live streaming is an option too). Visit How to Watch the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for details.
Choose one or two sports that your family is most interested in when trying to decide what to watch. If your kids play soccer or basketball, they’ll probably love to watch those games. And swimming, gymnastics and track and field events are among the most popular with audiences of all ages.
2. Throw an Opening Ceremony Party
While the competition begins on August 3, the Opening Ceremony officially kicks off the Games on Friday, August 5. There’s always plenty of pomp and circumstance to be seen here, and kids can learn a lot just from watching the Parade of Nations and seeing firsthand how many unique countries and cultures are represented.
Want to turn the viewing into a celebration? Invite a few friends over and host a kid-friendly party! Use these Free Olympic Party Printables for invitations, decorations, games and more to make party-planning a breeze.
3. Explore the History of the Games
The Olympics are about more than what you see on TV today. The Games have a long and fascinating history dating all the way back to ancient Greece, which provides a rich, educational backdrop and lots of teaching opportunities.
Read more about the Ancient Greek Olympics at History for Kids, where you can also find coloring pages and worksheets about many aspects of ancient Greek life. Learn the Story of the Olympic Rings and discover resources for teaching kids about the continents. If your kids love to read, look for a variety of titles that explore Olympic history, famous Olympians and children’s stories about the games on Amazon’s list of Bestselling Children’s Olympic Books.
4. Explore Brazilian Culture
With so many countries represented at the Olympics, you can choose as many as you wish to explore. But since Brazil is hosting this summer’s event, now is a great time to learn more about its people and culture. Challenge your kids to locate Brazil on a map. Read more about the South American country at National Geographic Kids. Learn more about the native lingo or what a day in the life is like there at TIME For Kids. Head to the kitchen and cook up a kid-friendly, Brazilian recipe like these Brigadeiro de Chocolate from Epicurious.
5. Show Your USA (and St. Louis) Spirit
Global unity may be an important part of the Olympic spirit, but so is sporting your national – and local – pride. And as the Cardinals and Blues can tell you, nobody does hometown pride the way St. Louis does. Don your red, white and blue and cheer for Team USA (you can “meet” the athletes here), and be sure to also support the St. Louis area-Olympians who will be representing in Rio. What a great way to show our kids that they too have the potential to make it into the Olympics with enough talent, drive, determination and sacrifice.
6. Stage Your Own Backyard Olympics
The Olympics certainly aren’t about being sedentary, so take this opportunity to get your kids – and yourself – moving. Real Simple’s step-by-step guide to creating your own amateur athletic competition is fun and family-friendly, and Mom It Forward offers ideas for making your own medals and Olympic Ring Oreo Cookie Pops, as well as many different backyard “events” you can host.
Not up for the task of staging your own Olympics? Take advantage of The Kids Games, an Olympic-themed track and field event at the Magic House on Saturday, August 6.
7. Talk About True Sportsmanship
At first glance, the Olympics appear to be all about athleticism and strength. But it’s really the stories that draw us in as spectators, and it’s the stories we can use to talk with our kids about what truly matters in competitive sports. Kids can see firsthand what it takes to win, and more importantly, see that winning isn’t everything. When we watch and celebrate the Olympics with our kids, we share with them the true spirit of the games: sport that is practiced with, as the International Olympic Committee so eloquently states, “a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”
Photo courtesy of The Magic House
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Alyssa Chirco is a freelance writer, mother and margarita lover, not necessarily in that order. In addition to writing for STL Parent, she is Contributing Editor at Parenting Squad, and covers parenting, health and lifestyle topics for publications across the country. She recently moved from the suburbs of St. Louis to a small town in rural Jefferson County, where she is learning to survive with no Target or Starbucks in sight. Follow her on Twitter @AlyssaChirco
