Winter Olympics Fun: Let the Games Begin!

Winter Games Arts and Crafts

Winter White Dot Paintings: Cut or tear out pictures of winter sports from magazines and catalogs. Glue these onto a sheet of blue construction paper. To make the falling snow, dip a "new" pencil eraser into white poster paint. Dab, dab, dab! The eraser will make circular snowflakes falling all over the page.

Olympic Torch Picture: Draw and cut a torch base from gray paper or even aluminum foil. Glue this onto a sheet of black paper. To make the flame, either paint the child's hand a vivid orange (using poster paint) and have her place her hand down above the torch base to make a print, or trace around her hand on orange construction paper. After cutting out the handprint, glue this above the torch base. Embellish as desired.

Flags, Flags, and More Flags: Discuss the opening ceremonies with your children. Point out that each country participating in the Olympics carries a flag into the arena, one that they display throughout the games. Show your children pictures of flags from other countries and invite them to make their own flag. Give each child a sheet of construction paper as their base. Have circles, squares, stars, and stripes cut out of different colors of paper at the ready for younger children. Invite the kids to design their own unique flag by gluing on the shapes they want. Glue the finished flag on to a stick, paper towel roll, or dowel for easy carrying

Olympic-Style Snacks

Olympic Rings: Purchase round-ring cookies at the store. Make or buy vanilla frosting and separate the frosting into five bowels. With food coloring, tint the frosting. To make black, combine red, green, blue, and yellow. Invite the kids to frost the cookies with the colors and make Olympic rings on their plates.

Edible Olympic Torch: Give each child a pointed sugar ice cream cone. Fill it with a scoop of lemon, orange or raspberry sherbet. Then have them sprinkle on baking sugar crystals in yellow, orange, and red. A fun, flaming dessert!