Camp Sunny Patch Session 8 is brought to you by Melissa & Doug, written by Camp Counselor (and Melissa & Doug Blog Ambassador) Amy Mascott. (Click here for a printable version.)
Get your children moving and grooving and into the Olympic spirit with the Olympic Torch Game!
Children will skip, jump, and speed-walk through a simple obstacle course in their back yard while ‘passing the torch’ like the runners in the Torch Relay which precedes the opening ceremony of the Games. All you need to play are the Melissa & Doug Activity Traffic Cones and a kick ball (we used the Scootin’ Turtle Kicball), a few around-the house-items like a plastic bowl, chair, rope, or hose, and a little space to run and play.
First, set up an obstacle course using items from around the house. We used some outdoor chairs, jump rope, hula-hoops, and a baseball bat. Our challenges were simple and included running a circle around outdoor chairs, squirting water through the tire swing and at the tree, hopping through hula hoops, and jumping over a jump rope and baseball bat.
Then decide which person will be the first Olympic Torch runner. That person will create an “Olympic Torch” by turning one of the activity cones upside down (for the torch) and then putting the kickball on top (for the flame).
Then that person runs–or walks quickly–through the obstacle course, making sure that the Olympic Torch stays balanced!
Make sure the audience members are dressed appropriately and do a great job cheering for their team.
Once the first runner makes it through the obstacle course, he or she practices the “Olympic Torch Kiss” where he or she “lights” the next runner’s torch. Be careful! We found it wasn’t easy to keep the ball balanced–but it’s a great exercise in balance, and it’s a whole lot of fun!
Lighting the “Olympic Cauldron” at the end of the game was reserved for our final torch runner, just like the final runner in the official Olympic Torch Relay. Our runner lit the “cauldron”, simply dropping the ball into the plastic bowl.
It’s all about imagination–and keeping it simple–when it comes to playing with kids!
Go, Olympic torch runners!
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Hang with Amy over at teachmama.com for more cool, super-sneaky ways to throw in some learning in the name of fun or join her at we teach–a forum for parents and teachers to connect, share ideas and grow–no matter the classroom. Or tweet with her (@teachmama), pin with her or chat with her on Facebook!
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