Fun Olympic Game Ideas

By Krystal Miller
Sack races are fun for people of all ages.

When planning an Olympics-themed party or event, use your imagination to create fun games for everyone to play. Olympic games can inspire physical fitness and allow players a chance to show off their strengths. Divide the players into age groups to play the games. Entice players to try their hardest by awarding medals to all game winners.


Host a variety of races for the players. Race examples include running races, sack races, crabwalk races, hop-on-one-leg races and swimming races, if you have access to a pool. Set up a start and finish line about 100 feet apart. Have players line up at the starting line and race to the finish line. Award medals to first, second and third place. If you have several players, have each player sign up for only one race. Tell them to select their favorite race. This can keep the games from becoming too crowded.

Toss Games

Hang Hula hoops from a clothesline wire or from a tree. Mark a standing line about 15 feet away from the hoops. Give each player 10 beanbags to try to toss through the hoops. Players earn one point for each beanbag they make in a hoop. The player with the most points wins the game. You can adjust the standing line closer or farther away depending on the ages of the players. For another toss game, have the players toss a flying disc as far as they can from a standing line. Give each player three throws and mark each throw. The player who throws the farthest distance wins the flying disc game.

Water Games

Place several marbles in a small plastic swimming pool with water. Players must take off their shoes and socks. Each player has to stand in the pool and pick up the marbles with his feet. He must place the marbles in a bowl on the outside of the pool. Players have one minute to pick up as many marbles as they can. The player who picks up the most marbles with his feet in one minute wins the game. For another water game, set 10 empty cans on a table in a pyramid shape. Give players a water gun to shoot the cans off the table. The player who knocks down the most empty cans wins the game.

Relay Races

Create a sand relay race by dividing players into two teams. Have the players stand in a single file line and give the first player in line a bucket of sand. When you say, “Race,” the first player must grab handfuls of sand and pass it to the next player in line. Each player must pass the sand down the line using only her hands. The last player must place the sand in an empty bucket. After two minutes, the team with the most sand in its team bucket wins the race. Players do not have to wait until the sand gets all the way down the team line to grab more sand. For a variation, give each player a small plastic cup and use water instead of sand.