Looking for a theme for your outdoor birthday party – how about a Summer Olympics birthday party!
We had one when my daughter was five and it was a blast. Not only did the kids stay cool, but we had the party in the backyard for a bargain.
Olympic Activities:
- Sack Race -Use crape paper for the finish line and make sacks out of inexpensive fabric.
- Water Balloon on a Spoon Race – Challenge your athletes to be the first to cross the finish line without losing their water balloon.
- Ring Toss – Use inflatable inner tubes as the rings you toss on to an orange cone.
- Basketball Hoops - If you have one of those Little Tykes basketball hoops, have the athletes get three baskets before they could start the water obstacle course.
- Water Obstacle Course - Use whatever outdoor water toys you own. We used a kiddie pool with a built-in slide, an inflatable slide into a second kiddie pool and ended the course with a triple slip n slide.
- Triple Slip-n Slide – This basically became a free-for-all and was one of the most fun (and entertaining) activities. $30 well spent.
- Water Balloon Toss – Everyone stands across from a partner. Toss the balloon back and forth. When the other person catches it, each person takes a step back. Continue until the balloon breaks. We had the adults do this too and everyone had a good time doing it.
Water Balloon Tip
Got this tip from a reader named Melissa: ” We did a water party last year for my son and found something called “tie-knot” on Amazon, (but I also just saw it at Walmart) and it makes tying balloons a breeze – no sore fingers!”
Supplies for Your Summer Olympics Birthday Party:
- Water balloons – 100/$1 at the Dollar Store
- Small inner tubes – Dollar Store
- Orange Cones (borrowed from a friend)
- Balloons for the mailbox and birthday chair
- Sacks for sack race (made with fabric I got for free at a yard sale)
- Large spoons for water balloon on a spoon race
- Towels or blankets for the kids to sit and eat on
- Medals for all the contestants – $3.99 at Party City
- Slip N Slide ($30 well spent)
- Inflatable pool/sprinklers, etc.
- Basketball goal and balls
- Music – download the Olympic theme song
- Cake, food and drinks
- Prizes and goody bags
- Birthday Cake Central – we used a card table with a table-cloth on it. We happened to have an American flag, so we put that behind it and tied some balloons to the chair at the table. We put the cake on the table and the kids stood around it to sing.
Before you serve cake, get all your athletes together and give them their Olympic medals. Take a group picture in front of your American flag and then all your athletes can stand around the birthday girl or boy in their medals to sing happy birthday.
On a budget? Consider doing the party in the afternoon and serve summer snacks instead of a meal.
Let the Games begin!
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