Hobbies And Interests
Throwing
Two events for children are the shot put and the discuss. In regular shot put, the general weight ranges from 12 or 16 lbs. and higher, which is a little too heavy for children to throw. A girl's team shot put can be substituted with a softball, and a boy's team shot put can be substituted with a baseball. A discuss, which normally weighs approximately 4 lbs. or more, can be exchanged for a Frisbee.
Running
A big part of the Olympics consists of running, be it basic races or relays. The children can practice miniaturized versions of these sports by having relay races around a school track or by racing to a specified place, such as a marker one-fourth of the way around the track. For those without a track, two sticks stuck in the ground with a paper ribbon tied between them can suffice as a practical finishing line. For team relays, such as a relay where each team member runs one-fourth of the track and then passes off a relay baton to the next runner, a painted paper towel roll can take the place of an actual baton.
Get to the Finish Line Games
These games are not official Olympic events, but they are known alternatives to games that children are not quite big enough to compete in. One such game consists of two children holding a balloon between their tummies and trying to walk sideways to a finish line without dropping the balloon. Another option is to have an egg race to see which children can carry an egg in a spoon without dropping it to his or her team member. Still another option is the penny game, in which the child must have a penny resting on his or her foot and make it to his teammate without losing the penny. As in most games, the team that makes it to the finish line first wins, and if the object is dropped, the team must return to the starting line and begin again.
Water Sports
These games can take the place of swimming Olympic events. One such game consists of tossing water balloons back and forth between two teammates. Each time the teammate has caught the balloon successfully, the members must take a step back, furthering the distance between them, and toss the balloon again. The game continues until there is only one team left and all of the other teams have dropped their balloons. Silver and bronze medals can be given for second and third place, as well. Another water event is the game of trying to fill a container with water using odd instruments, such as a spoon or a flat plate. The object of the game is to carry the water from one place to the team bucket and see which team can get the most water in the bucket in a limited amount of time.